Espadas: The Next Wave
by xxNightxTrainxx
Summary: It's been 10 years since the Winter War ended. War looms once again. But, how will Soul Society fare without Ichigo Kurosaki? The Espada are in full force once again, and the best hope of victory, is gone. Aizen's failsafe is finally enacted. INDEFINITE HIATUS.
1. Good Times

Espada: The next wave

**Author's note: this is my first fanfiction and being the ambitious person I am is going all out with a story that has slowly been writing itself in my head for several months now. Please Read and Review and tell me what you think. Oh and there might be ichiruki,I love ichiruki but I've never written romance before. This is 10 years after Aizen's defeat and I'm kind of ignoring the new arc because I don't like to guess ahead.**

**Disclaimer- You all know how this work =D. I don't own bleach, wish I did though.**

**Chapter 1- Good times**

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MOOOOOORNIIIIIIING ICHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGOOOOOOO!

Without even looking and in one swift motion Ichigo caught his dad's kick and casually tossed him through the window.

As Isshin hung for dear life on the window ledge he yelled "Ichigo, why do you keep throwing me through the window? What happened to you just blocking my attacks?"

"Because the message obviously wasn't getting through your thick skull. When I throw you out I at least have until you get back in." As he said this he slowly sat up, kicked his dad off the ledge, and went to the bathroom. As Ichigo washed his face, he reminisced. Sixteen years; has it really been that long. While lost in thought he didn't even notice the knocking on the door until Karin started banging on it and yelling at him.

"Stop being depressed! Today's your birthday, depress yourself."Ichigo opened the door and hugged his sister. "Ichi-nii, wha-"

"Nothing, just love you." She sighed before hugging him back. Ichigo always got depressed this week, and Karin would always pull him out of it. After a few seconds Karin spun around behind Ichigo, into the bathroom, and closed the door. "Karin, you little-" He chuckled to himself lightly, she would always pull stuff like that on him.

Karin opened the door a peek and stuck her tongue out at him. "Ladies first."

"You'll always be my little sister to me Karin." After jiggling the doorknob a few times Ichigo gave up and went downstairs for breakfast.

When he went into the kitchen he was greeted eagerly by Yuzu. "Happy Birthday Ichi-nii."

"C-can't breathe" Ichigo barely manage to say.

"Oh sorry, but I just get so excited when we visit. We don't get much time away from college you know and it is your birthday." Ever since Ichigo moved out and his sister went to college, the week of June 15th had sort of become an entire family week. And in those ten years, Yuzu had become the spitting image of her mother Masaki.

"Are you squishing Ichi-nii again?" Karin's voice made both the siblings jump a bit. Karin had just come from upstairs wearing cargo shorts, and a blue and white t-shirt. In the same ten years she had grown almost as tall as Ichigo, and had a much more feminine figure, no matter how hard she tried to hide it under her tomboy image.

"What do you mean, again?" Yuzu said defensively.

"You do it every year"

"So what?"

"Just saying" and with that she sat down across from Isshin who was now nursing his wounds. A few minutes later Yuzu served breakfast and were enjoying a meal as a family again. Ichigo loved times like these, when it was as if his life as a shinigami never happened. They finished in about ten minutes and spent the next half of the day having all sorts of fun until they tired, then played again. At about six they were getting ready to leave for dinner. Ichigo always looked forward to seeing his friends again.

Half an hour later they arrived at the restaurant were Uryu, Orihime, Tatsuki, and Chad. Ichigo eagerly greeted his long time friends, and brought them inside.

They were having a wonderful time together "just like old times" Ichigo thought to himself. About halfway through the dinner Uryu started tapping the his glass and stood up, along with Orihime.

With visible difficulty Uryu spoke up. "Everyone I have an announcement to make and I thought what better time than to celebrate Kurosaki's 25th birthday." He cleared his throat before saying "Inoue and I are getting married!" there was a long pause and the husband and wife to be were suddenly worried. Then they all broke out into to applause.

Chad spoke up first "I always knew you two were perfect for each other. When did you two even start dating?" All the other comments were along the same lines. Suddenly a slightly drunk Karin started chanting "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" and soon the entire table was to until they gave in and kissed. They all had a great time and drank their weight in wine.

They spent the entire next day nursing a hangover.

**I was planning on putting in some more for the first chapter but I couldn't move away from the party to Masaki's grave without it sounding choppy, so I just went for a hangover ending. Sorry. ****:P**

**RnR. No flames please. Sorry if it sound rough. I've never really written a story outside of school before, so a Beta Reader would really help. If you're willing send me a message.**


	2. Memories in the Rain

**Still looking for a beta reader. But, anyway, I think that last chapter was pretty good considering it was the first one I ever written. Well since we've barely started, I don't have much to say, so on with the story**

**Chapter 2-Memories in the Rain**

Everyone had spent the night at the Kurosaki's since they were all too drunk to drive home. After Yuzu, who could hold her liquor surprisingly well, drove everyone home she put everyone to bed before going to sleep herself.

The next day- June 17th

Ichigo and everyone had recovered at this point and were getting ready for their yearly trip to Masaki's grave. In the years since his battle with Grand Fisher, Ichigo had finally come to terms with his mother's death and stopped blaming himself.

"Ichi-nii! Are you ready?" Yuzu yelled from the hall

"Almost!" Ichigo was in his room and was looking in his closet for a good shirt when he spotted an unusual box on the top shelf. He reached up and grabbed it, blew the dust off and read "Do not open unless brain damaged." Ichigo opened the box, and out jumped a small figure that latched onto his face and knocked him back against the wall.

"ICHIGO, YOU JEEEEEEEEEEERRRRKKKK! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I WAS IN THAT BOX, AND HOW STUFFY IT WAS?" With visible effort, Ichigo pulled the small creature of his face and threw it across the room. It bounced a few times before a familiar lion plushy landed on the desk.

"Kon? How long have you been in there?"

"9 years! That's how long. The last time I was out was a few years ago when you felt like using me as a punching bag." Kon yelled as he attempted another assault on Ichigo.

"Yeah, well you're going right back in." he got up to grab Kon.

"Nooooooooooooooo! Please not again, I beg of you." At this point tears were streaming down his face.

"No!"

"Ichi-nii, hurry up." Yuzu yelled from the hall.

"Fine, but you stay in this room." He said while pointing at Kon. Then Ichigo got up grabbed a shirt and his backpack, and ran out of the door.

The long to the cemetery was a long and uneventful one, except for the few times Isshin acted childish, resulting in Karin attacking him; again. When they finally arrived Isshin had dropped his childish demeanor, in exchange for a more mature one.

Karin and Yuzu walked up first. "Hi mom, just letting you know that we've been doing great, even though he isn't always the best role model, dad did raise us well." When Karin was done, Yuzu shed a tear before she talked.

"Hi mom, just wanted you to know that we all still love you. We've been doing great without you, and look Karin and I are full grown women now." When she was down the both burned some incense and left to set up the picnic as Isshin and Ichigo arrived. Together they both talked about how much the missed her and how they've been doing without her. Isshin had a cigarette, blew his dead wife a kiss, and left Ichigo alone. As Ichigo was standing there he looked up and saw a petite silhouette with a large hat and sundress in the trees. Ichigo blinked and then it was gone.

"Who was that?" Ichigo asked to himself. He figured it was just his imagination and shrugged it off. But for some reason it kept bugging him. He burned some incense for Masaki, and went to go join his family at the picnic they had set up.

"Hi Ichi-nii, how are you." Yuzu asked as she passed him a sandwich.

"Fine. Hey, did you notice anyone in the forest behind mom's grave?"

"No why?"

"Nothing." For some reason Ichigo couldn't get that image out of his head. There was something familiar about it. As he was deep in thought Ichigo looked behind him and saw the same figure in the trees. "I'll be back" Ichigo said as he got up.

"Ichigo, where are you going?" Isshin asked

"Bathroom." Was his only reply.

Isshin turned towards his daughters and asked "Does something seem off with Ichigo?"

Karin in her monotone voice, replied "Don't know, don't care"

"Karin, why do you have to be like that?" Yuzu complained "Something has been bugging him all day, I can tell"

"Just let him go. He'll be back."

As soon as he was out of sight, Ichigo started running to the woods. "I knew that wasn't my imagination. Oh please just let it be my imagination" Ichigo thought to himself. As he ran, his backpack started to unzip itself, and out popped the Mod Soul we all love to hate. Or hate to love, your choice. "Kon what are you doing here? Go away."

As Ichigo was stuffing him back in someone appeared behind him and yelled "ICHIGO!"

Ichigo's eyes widened from shock. He couldn't believe it. "Rukia"

**Well, tell me what you think. No flame please.**

**And thanks to Fii aka Ficchan, for reviewing.  
**


	3. Reunion

**Hi me again. I'm just gonna get this out of the way. I won't update consistently, one day I might put up two chapters in one day, other times it could be a week before I do. But unless I say so you will never have to wait more than two weeks. Special thanks to ****Fii aka Fiichan****,**** Keiranasmith****, ****Aizawa Ayumu Oz Vessalius, and Cehmacc 14**** for the reviews. Good reviews really lift my spirits and keep me writing.  
**

**Disclaimer-I don't own bleach. But I would like it for Christmas**

"R-rukia. Is that really you?"

"Nee-san?" She was standing about ten feet away, wearing a blue sundress, and had her head down so that the brim of her hat covered her eyes.

"Answer me! Is that you Rukia?" At this point Ichigo was desperate for answers. Then before Ichigo could even blink, the girl was right in front of him in the middle of a punch. Ichigo barely dodged, partly because he hadn't fought in years and partly out of shock. Before he even had time to recover, she twisted on one hand and launched herself at Ichigo ready to land a devastating kick. Ichigo put his hands up to block, Kon still in his hand, and caught the kick. Then he rotated her leg so that so was spinning mid-air, then he stepped forward and with his hand, slammed her into the ground.

Finally the women spoke "Good job, Ichigo. Your instinct is as sharp as ever."

"Rukia?" Ichigo said "No! Rukia wouldn't attack me like that. Who are you really?"

"If you let me up, I'll explain everything" Slowly Ichigo lifted up his hand and let her stand up. "All right now about wh-" Suddenly she felt a sharp pain on her cheek as Ichigo slapped her. "Huh?"

"WHY ARE YOU HERE?"

"Ichi-"

" After I lost my shinigami powers you never once visited! You never once visited! It tore me apart, not being able to see you." Ichigo took a deep breath, and started talking in a calmer voice. "After a while I got over it. I moved on with my life. Save for this day every year, I let myself forget I ever met you. But now after 10 years, you appear out of nowhere, and the first thing you do is attack me. Why?"

"Look that's the exact reason I never visited. I let you live your life."

"And after a while I was fine with that. But you should have stayed instead of visiting after all these years."

"I can't do that Ichigo. I was going to, but I was sent here on a mission because of my history with you."

"And what could that mission be that involves you having to see me."

"Well remember a few moments ago when I just attacked you? Well I was holding back. I needed to test you."

"What for?"

"This." Ten times faster than moments before, she slipped on a familiar red glove, and before Ichigo knew it, his vision was covered in red before he passed out.

Ichigo regained consciousness soon after. The first thing he did after waking up was to slap Rukia again. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"Stop hitting me!" She sighed "When I charged you earlier I held back my speed to just above human level. No ordinary person could have dodged that. Ichigo look down."

Ichigo did what he was told and noticed his body on the side of the path. He nearly fainted again. "What the hell did you do?"  
"You still haven't noticed have you? Look at what you're wearing." He did so and for the first time noticed. In the center of his chest lied his soul chain. But he was wearing the top half of his shinigami robes. Ichigo was once again shocked.

"What on earth? Ho-"

"You regained some of your reiryoku, your spiritual powers. If you hadn't then you never would have been able to dodge that first strike, let alone follow up with that attack."

"So you just randomly attacked me. What if I didn't have any?"

"Urahara has been keeping tabs on you. He sent a message to Soul Society saying that he had sensed a small bit of reiastu from you."

"So your mission was to confirm that." Ichigo sat down on a tree next to his limp body.

"Yup"

"Now what?"

"Nothing for now. We have no choice but to wait and see how your power develops." She said as she approached Ichigo

"So what; are you going to check up every week or something" Ichigo said as he reentered his body and reoriented himself.

"Yeah well this is the awkward part. It's the other way around. I stay here and report everyone in a while. So until then I need a place to stay." She leaned uncomfortably close to Ichigo's face and put on the most innocent school girl face she could.

"What! Are you crazy? My family hasn't seen you in years, what are they going to think when you come home with me? Not to mention I'm only hear for the weekend. I have to go back to work."

"Hey, orders are orders, you're going to have to figure something out."

Ichigo facepalmed "This at to be fun" he said sarcastically. "Fine hold on. I'll be back." As he turned to leave Rukia grabbed his hand. And in a light voice she said.

" I'll be at your house later. Figure something out by then." As Ichigo turned to leave again she turned him around and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "Ichigo: I've missed you to" and with that, she ran off into the woods.

Ichigo stood there for about a minute, lightly touching the spot where she kissed him. He smiled to himself. "Maybe this isn't all bad."

**Nice ending, right? I've never written romance before so i don't know if i'll flesh out the IchiRuki. Oh and I'm working on making my chapter longer. I will NOT be posting more than one a day on a regular basis. Today was a half-day at school today, and I had an urge to write. Sorry if chapter was to dialog heavy for you. But the explanations were necessary.  
**


	4. Catching up

**So, what do you think? Pretty good, right? I don't know how long this story will be. I basically have it all summarized in my head but who knows how much paper that is**

As Ichigo approached his family, he was greeted with worried looks from his sisters. "Ichi-nii! Where have you been, we've been so worried."

"Yuzu, I told you he'd be fine. Stop worrying, he can take care of himself."

"Sorry everybody, I got lost"

"Well hurry up and eat, we're leaving soon, and I'm not cooking you anything at home until dinner."

"When did you get so strict Yuzu" Ichigo joked

"Meanie" Yuzu replied defensively

Later that night…

While Ichigo was waiting for Rukia, he skimmed through his e-mail. After a while he came upon a letter from Uryu.

"Dear, Kurosaki-san, as you probably already know, I've inherited ownership of Karakura General Hospital. I send this letter in hopes that you will work here. This is purely business, I have viewed over your impressive history as a doctor. However as a friend, I am offering to pay any moving expenses you may have. I will offer good pay of course, Karakura General Hospital, is an extremely prestigious hospital. Please reply, and I have already sent a letter to your current employer."

Ichigo replied "Someone's forcing you to do this aren't they?"

"No"

"I can tell when you're lying. You didn't punctuate the No."

"Damnit, Kurosaki. How do you know me so well? And I'm not allowed to tell you by the way."

"Soul Society?"

"That, and Inoue's been begging because she misses you. A little disturbing since I'm her fiancée."

"I accept your offer."

"You can start Monday."

"Well that was convenient" Ichigo thought to himself. Just as he and Uryu had finished their chat he heard the doorbell ring. "I got it!" Ichigo yelled as he rushed to answer it. Naturally Isshin was suspicious despite his son's age. So he rushed down the hall tripped Ichigo and went ahead to answer the door. When he saw he it was, he nearly cried tears of joy.

"Oh, third daughter! Where have you been all these years?"He said as he embraced her.

"C-can't b-breathe."

"Out of the way dad!" Ichigo didn't even wait for a response as he kicked his dad out of the way and brought Rukia to his room. When they were alone, and made sure nobody was listening through the door, he talked to Rukia. "Sorry about that. You know how my dad is"

"I guess" Rukia replied as she smiled. "Where's Yuzu and Karin?"

"They went to bed early, they have to catch an early flight tomorrow to go back to college."

"What about you? I thought you said you have to leave to?"

"Yeah well, Soul Society took care of that."

"How?"

"Uryu gave me a job at Karakura General."

"Well that was convenient. So are we staying here?"

"Don't know, need to ask Ishida tomorrow." They stayed up for a while catching up, and slept with each other.

**Omake**

Back in the forest

"Nee-san! Ichigo! Nee-san! Ichigo! Where are you?" At this point Kon was crying and it didn't help that it had been raining for an hour. "Why does everyone forget about me!"

**Dang! Three chapters in one day. I surprise myself. Anyway please read and review.**


	5. Beginning of the End

**Hola. I give thanks to anyone who has followed my story; the faithful readers are the ones that keep me writing. This chapter alludes to the later part of the story, this is an action fic after all. The set up is just taking longer than I expected.**

HUECO MUNDO. SOMEWHERE IN LAS NOCHES

In the years since Ichigo's battle with Ulquiorra, the destroyed segments of Las Noches had never been repaired simply due to the level of destruction. The buildings that did remain intact had fallen into disrepair. But despite that, the still white walls of Las Noches, never lost their radiance. In one of the central buildings, 14 mysterious figures sat around a table discussing their plans.

The first to speak was a very heavy set man with bulging muscles. "When are we going to attack already? We've been training and planning for this for 9 years already!" As he said so he slammed his fist on the table and when he lifted them left a very notable imprint.

"Calm down Akane, we almost ready." Said a man with yellow hair, and a set of aviator goggles.

"Listen to Issanni. Everything must be perfect. If it isn't, there will just be a repeat of Aizen-sama's battle." This time it was a man with purple hair that hung over one of his eyes. On his right shoulder was an atom symbol.

Suddenly five voices spoke up at the exact same time, in unison. "We are almost ready, all the preparations are complete. The only matter left is figuring out how to capture the target."

"I'm still working on it. Some good news though, he has developed just as we plan, and he should be suitable for our purposes in a few weeks."

At the head of the table was a young woman; seemingly in her early twenties. Without saying a word, she pressed a button on a table and a hologram appeared in the center. It was a close-up of a skull like face with stripes running from the top and across the eyes, and two sets of horns that protruded from the top of the head then bent forward.

"I don't care when we attack! I will wait as long as it takes" The man leaned forward with his elbows on the table and his hand held together across his face. He had blue hair and a hollow mask fragment that covered his right cheek. It was the former Sexta Espada-Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. "As long as I'm the one who fights Kurosaki." He said with an evil sneer.

**I know it this chapter was a little short, but if it was longer it would have just dragged on. They won't be coming into play till I'm done 'setting up' the story.**


	6. Distant Enemies

**Hola. Grimmjow is back. I wanna make this clear first. He never died in the first place. He was mortally wounded, so he did survive. Don't expect any resurrection's of the Espada. Special thanks to Fii aka Ficchan, keiransmith, Aizawa Ayumu Oz Vessalius, Cehmacc 14, falconrukichi, and darkmachine for the reviews.**

SUNDAY MORNING. ICHIGO'S ROOM.

Ichigo woke up and scanned his room, something was wrong. "Where's dad?" Ichigo got his answer as to why he wasn't attacked yet when he looked down. Rukia was asleep in his arms, her chest rising and falling slowly, showing she was still asleep. Ichigo smiled. It had been way to long since he had seen her. "Hey time to wake up." He whispered. After a few minutes of watching her sleep peacefully, he slowly slid out from under her, and put on a shirt before heading downstairs. His family was in the kitchen when he arrived.

"Ichigo, did you sleep well?" Isshin said with a mischievous smile.

"Yuzu, Karin? Aren't you supposed to be at the airport? You're going to miss your flight."

"Bad weather." She said as she handed Ichigo his breakfast. "We're leaving tomorrow."

"Yuzu, I need a favor. Can you make another breakfast? We have a guest."

"Sure, but who is it?"

"You'll see. It's someone you know."

Surely enough, a few minutes later, Rukia walked down the stairs only to run into the stares of the Kurosaki's.

"H-hi." She said awkwardly.

"Rukia! Two voices yelled, as both Yuzu and Karin, tackled her with hugs. "Where have you been? We missed you so much when you left."

"I've been well. I missed you guys to. And look at how tall you've gotten." She patted their heads. Rukia had barely grown a few inches however had barely grown and had to reach up a bit.

Ichigo walked up. "Sorry to interrupt this moment, but instead of strangling her with hugs, how about we all go out. While we're at it, let's invite the gang again."

"Sounds like a good idea"

"Kay then. You guys catch up, and I'll go call everybody." Ichigo stuffed his toast in his mouth as he went up to his room to make some calls.

A FEW HOURS LATER. KARAKURA TOWN AMUSEMENT PARK.

"Ugh, they should be here by now" Ichigo complained as he looked at his watch. He looked to his right, and finally saw his friends round the corner. "Where have you guys been?"

Uryu pushed his glasses up "We got lost. None of us have been here since we graduated." He said defensively.

"It's all right Ishida-kun" Orihime said as she hugged him.

"Be careful Orihime, my head still hurts." He said as he leaned in to kiss her. Then he looked up at Ichigo. When questioned on what happened he simply ignore. "So Kurosaki, where is this person you mentioned?"

Ichigo smiled the turned around. "You can come out now!" Out of the shadow of a nearby tree, Rukia stepped out. The general reaction was pretty much the same as with the twins.

"Rukia what are you doing here?" Orihime asked cheerily.

"Well technically I'm here on official Soul Society business. But, since I'm here for an extended period, I can enjoy myself while here."

They all went in to the amusement park for the day and enjoyed themselves. From afar, a mysterious figure was following them all day. "These camo suits work really well Shin." The man spoke through a radio.

"Did you doubt they would? I'm insulted Issanni."

"You know that's not what I meant. I was just expecting camouflage; you put in invisibility, and reiastu suppression. I may not be as smart as you, but I know a work of art when I see one."

"You still underestimate my abilities. Hmph. Anyway don't move to fast, the cloak only works when you're motionless or slow moving. As long as you do that, not even shinigami should be able so sense you."

"What! Why didn't you work out that little kink BEFORE, I came here. You all know my speed is my greatest asset."

"IT'S A FUCKING PROTOTYPE! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? Just hurry up and scan his reiastu before you give me an aneurysm."

Issanni pulled out what looked like a fancy PDA. "How do you work this thing again?" he asked as he fiddle with some buttons.

"I GAVE YOU A FULL EXPLANATION BEFORE YOU LEFT!"

"Calm down! Not everyone can be as smart as you."

"Why do I constantly give you the field equipment? Why wasn't I picked for this mission?"

Issanni replied in a matter of fact voice. "You know the answer to that question."

"Because I'm not sneaky."

"What, didn't quite catch that." He snickered.

"Because I'm not sneaky!" Shin yelled "Not my fault I'm uncoordinated."

"That's what I thought, now stop bugging me about this equipment. Oh shit! Where did they go?"

"YOU LOST THEM? YOU FUCKING DUMBASS! HOW DO YOU LOSE THEM WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THAT TRACKING EQUIPMENT? This time Shin yelled so loud that Issanni had to pull off the headset, lest he go deaf.

"Calm down! I'll find them. Ooooh, finally figured out how to work this."

"Dumbass"

"You really need to very your insults, you know that?" Issanni said calmly

"You're the only one that infuriates me enough to be worth insulting; so it never occurred to me."

"Ah found them." Issanni pointed the back end of the device, at the group. The screen looked a lot like an infared tracker. But the device was a reiastu tracker, blue wan no reiastu and progressively went up to red to show high reiastu levels. "You getting this info Shin?"

"Yeah, amazing."

"What is it?"

"It's only been a day since we last measure his spirit levels. But, now it's over twice what it was." Shin studied and analyzed every bit of date sent to him, fascinated the entire time.

"Wow, over double, the last time we checked him was the forest right?" Shin was to lost in thought to answer. "Am I to assume the other spirits, are the Quincy, two Shinigami, that weird girl, and the guy with the bulging muscles?"

"Yup" Shin answered blankly. "Issanni return to back to Las Noches, I finally have enough info on Kurosaki. I think I finally know how to capture him. And hurry, if he develops at this rate, he'll be ready within the week."

Issanni smile "Finally we can avenge Aizen-sama." Issanni immediately turned around. Then he used sonido so quickly, that even though it disabled the cloak, he was out of range for anyone to sense him. As soon as he reappeared he opened a garganta and stepped in. A gust of wind blew his cloak up, revealing a 6 on his lower back.

**Yup, it's official the Espada are back. Ichigo is in danger. What is their plan? Find out later. This chapter was really long so it's a treat for you.**


	7. Next Mission

**Turns out I can think this story up faster that I thought. So just ignore those previous author notes. Unless I state otherwise, I will update at least every other day, if not more. Oh and I need one more OC. I've made all but one of the Espada and I'm flat out of ideas. Send me a message if you have one. Now on with the story. Special thanks to all who have reviewed.**

SOMEWHERE IN HUECO MUNDO

Issanni stepped out of the garganta. He looked ahead at a white dot in the distance. "Hmph, let's see if I can beat my record." He said to no one in particular. He crouched down and in a flash, followed by a booming sound, was on his way. The white dot in the distance was the massive Las Noches. He had appeared so far that the massive building could barely be seen. Issanni loved speeding across the desert of Hueco Mundo. He was extremely fast. What would take a normal being a week to cross he flew over in mere minutes. As he approached, an automatic door meant specifically for him opened, and closed behind him. He didn't stop till he made it to Issanni's lab. He opened the door and approached his fellow Espada. "What was my time?"

"When did you start running?" Shin asked while still working on his computer.

"About ten seconds after I opened the garganta." Issanni casually replied as he took of the cloak.

"5 minutes-20 seconds. 1 minute faster that your previous best."

"By a minute! Wow sometimes I surprise myself." He cheered. "So what kind of data did you get?" he asked as he rearranged his yellow hair, and put his aviator goggles, which was actually his mask fragment, on his forehead.

"I now have the complete analysis of his reiastu. But even better, I have a full analysis of his hollow reiastu." He smiled like a madman. His moved his purple hair from his eyes. His clothes were standard, except for a cloak, and a symbol of an atom on his right shoulder. His hollow mask was a monocle like fragment that was over his left eye. He seemed to have modified it so that it worked as magnification tool. "With this information, go from a hit or miss trap, to guaranteeing that he'll be completely helpless once we set it off."

"Niiiiiiiice. So anything else you need from me?"

"Yeah, I need you to keep an eye on him. His reiastu doesn't rise consistently. Sometimes it rises ridiculously fast, and sometimes he just stops, because of this I can't predict when he'll be ready" Despite their constant bickering, Issanni and Shin were actually really good friends. Sort of like Ichigo and Rukia.

"Didn't you say he'd be ready within the week?"

"Yeah, but it turns out I was premature in stating that. That was before I had completely analyzed it."

"That's certainly not like you." A voice from the doorway said, causing the two men to jump in surprise. "You never jump the gun."

"Don't scare me like that, Chiyoko" both men said in unison, which freaked them out a bit.

She laughed. She was wearing a standard arrancar jacket that was cut so that it exposed her belly. She had thigh high boots, and a skirt that ended just above the boots. Her broken hollow mask was a thin strip that ran across her nose from both sides of her face. "You guys crack me up." She said as she wiped away a tear. "Alright where were we. Oh yeah, you jumping the gun."

"So what if I did." Shin said as he regained his composure. "Not like it's happened before."

"I still don't get why I need to keep an eye on him. Can't you just send a numerous?" Issanni interrupted.

"Because, no matter how much you piss me off, you're the only one I trust with these missions" Shin said as he got back to his work.

"Oh can I come?" Chiyoko asked curiously. "I want to meet who we're aiming for."

Shin was about to say no, but Issanni replied first. "I don't see why not? Right Shin?" he obviously wasn't getting the message that Shin didn't want her to go, or he pretended not to notice.

"Fine, but you better not mess this up Chiyoko." He said accusingly

"Me, I would never mess anything for you." She said in an innocent voice.

"Shut it, my eyebrows still haven't grown back from that last prank you pulled. I had to pencil these in." he said as he pointed at his face.

"I think it's an improvement." Issanni struggled to suppress his laughter.

"JUST SHUT AND GET GOING!"

"You should watch your temper, it's not good to be angry all the time."

"GOOOOOOOOOOO!" And with that last statement, the two Espada left the room.

**Did i get the humor I was aiming for right? If not all well. Review.**


	8. Mission Start

**I have a small case of writer's block right now. So I apologize if this chapter isn't as good as the previous ones.****From now on **_italics_** will be used for thoughts.**** Sorry if I seem t be getting off topic these 'fillers' are necessary to move the story along until we get to the main 't worry though they should be finished soon. Plus they are a good chance to fit in some comedy before the story gets really serious. **** Special thanks to those who reviewed.**

Turns out Shin hadn't fully explained their mission. According to the report that Shin had conveniently sent them after they arrived in the human world, he had prepared a gigai for Issanni, enough human money to last several weeks, and a place for them to stay near the house Ichigo would be moving into for his new job. It had already been 2 days since their 'chat' with Shin, and Ichigo was starting to move in. It was in their new fully furnished apartment that the two Espada now laid. "Why do I have to stay in this stupid house all day." complained Chiyoko, who was kneeling on the couch. Although she could switch to serious when necessary, her predominant personality was rather childish.

"I already told you, Shin planned on me coming here alone, so he only prepared one gigai for me. You have to stay here until tomorrow for it, otherwise the shinigami will sense you." Issanni was starting to get a headache. He finally understood how he made Shin feel. Not that it would stop him from annoying him. "Please stop complaining." At this point Chiyoko was on the flooring, complaining her ass off.

"Why can't I just where that cloak you had the last time?"

"Because it broke. Apparently it's not strong enough to handle the force of sonido."

"Meany, why'd you have to break it?" Tears were streaming down her face now.

"It was an accident! Stop complaining, stop crying, AND GET OFF MY BACK."

"Fine. But you better take me somewhere fun tomorrow."

"We go wherever Kurosaki goes."

"Hmph." She said with a pout.

'_How the hell did she become an Espada' _"I give up. Just stay here and keep crying if you want." Then he got up and left the apartment. Before he left he took some time to see how he looked. He still had his unkempt blonde hair, he was pretty tall with a skinny build. _'this thing looks exactly like the real me' _He was wearing, blue jeans, red shoes, a black wife beater, and an arrancar jacket with the colors reversed. Shin also had the foresight to get a pair of aviator goggles for him. They looked exactly like his hollow mask fragment, except that they were black. Issanni put it on and let it hang around his neck. As soon as he was out the door, he pulled out what looked like a iPhone, but was actually an extremely advanced communication device that could call between worlds, similar to the headset he used earlier. Just to make it convincing Shin had loaded a few games on it. "Damn, that bastard thought of everything." He smiled as he dialed Shin.

"What do you need?"

"Whoa what's with the tone?"

"I have to make another gigai. These things aren't easy to make for arrancar."

"Yeah, whatever, anyway what exactly am I supposed to do? All you said was keep an eye on him."

"At the very least you have to watch him. But ideally I want you to be able to befriend him. That way you can give me a reiastu sample, data isn't as good as the real thing. Most, importantly you need to get to me immediately if he starts to exert reiastu rapidly. That's a sign that he has fully regained his power. On a side note I modified your gigai a bit, you can run as fast as you normally could, but not as fast as sonido."

"That's alright I'm good at running the normal way also. See ya." He hung up. While talking he had made his way towards Ichigo's work when he realized, '_crap, how am I supposed to become friends with him. Guess I'll figure that out later.' _Fortunately for him that chance would come sooner than expected.

KARAKURA GENERAL HOSPITAL. PARKING LOT.

Ichigo had just finished work, and was left when he saw Rukia waiting for him. In the past two days, they had become closer than ever.

"Hey Rukia." He said with a smile. Rukia walked up to him and hugged him. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his arm. "Ow" he looked down and saw that she had stabbed him with a thin needle.

"Sorry but I need to check your reiastu level periodically."

"At least warn me next time."

"Oh don't be a baby." They started walking to Ichigo's home that they now shared. It was a silent walk as neither of their days had been particularly exciting. About halfway home they ran into Inoue.

"Hi Kurosaki-kun, Kuchiki-san!" She ran over to greet them. "How've you been?"

"We've been great how about you Inoue?"

"I've been great although there was this one thing-"She started rambling on about something that neither of them really cared for. Suddenly she snapped out of it. "Oh do you to live this way to? Let's walk home together."

"Sure but where's Ishida" Ichigo asked.

"Um." She said as she rubbed the back of her head. "He hit his head." After that they went off towards home. Issanni, who was watching them from the shadows, followed. As the three of them crossed the street, a driver swerved around the corner at high speed. '_shit'_ Ichigo thought as Inoue, who was behind them, was right in the path of the speeding vehicle. "Santen Kessh…" But it was too late. The car was within inches of hitting her. There was nothing Ichigo or Rukia could do. They closed their eyes as they waited for the sound of impact. But it never came. Instead of the sound of impact, all they heard was a swoosh, and felt the air whip past them. "Whoa." Ichigo and Rukia turned around and saw Orihime being put down by a strange man with blonde hair, and a black jacket. "Thanks you so much." Orihime yelled as she tackled the man with a hug. Unfortunately she had jumped up first and her large breasts collided with the man first and knocked his head into a wall. ""Oops." She said while she stared at the now unconscious man.

"Nice, way to thank the man who just save your life Inoue." Her two friends joked.

**Sucky ending, I know, but that's what happens when you're halfway done and get a case of writers block. See ya next time. *waves***


	9. Friendship

**Hola. Sorry about the sucky ending last chapter. I got a case of writer's block when I was halfway done with it. Not sure it it's gone yet, we'll see. Oh and finals are this week so I probably won't be able to update till Thursday or Friday since they are early release. To make up for it I'm going to try and post two chapters today.**

Issanni woke up with a throbbing pain in his head. 'What the hell happened?' he thought to himself.

"Kurosaki-kun, He's awake now!" she walked over to Issanni "Are you okay?"

"I think so; I'm pretty tough after all. What happened?"

Orihime rubbed her head and smiled. "I bumped into you and made you hit your head. I'm so sorry, especially since you saved my life."

"Oh now I remember." He looked around the room "Where, am I exactly?" Ichigo walked into the room.

"You're at Inoue's house. We didn't know where you lived and it's not like we could just leave you there." He said

Then Issanni remembered. "Thanks for helping me."

"No problem, it was the least we could do, after you saved her life."

Issanni thought to himself 'they're so grateful that they didn't even notice how fast I was going.'

Ishida walked in afterward and noticed Issanni. "Orihime did you do it again!"

"It was in accident Uryu."

"You should really watch where you swing those things." Ishida said as he motioned at her chest.

As they continued their awkward conversation, they all had their back towards Issanni. He pulled out a small white tube from his pocket. He remembered Shin's instructions. 'Just open the cap and press the button, it will suck in some of Kurosaki's reiastu. I made sure it was real simple for you.' Issanni flipped the lid and started gathering a reiastu sample. He finished and quickly put it away as they turned around.

"Well anyway, since you saved my fiancée's life, what do you say we take you to dinner? Especially since she was clumsy with you afterwards."

"You're so mean Uryu." Orihime put her arms around her chest.

"I merely speak the truth."

"I'd love to come with you guys. Mind if I bring someone?" Issanni asked. He needed to get Chiyoko out of the house before he went crazy.

"You can do whatever you like and it's all on us." Uryu smiled.

"Sweet. I guess I'll take my leave." He scribbled on a piece of paper. "Here's my number." He started walking out the door.

ISSANNI'S HOUSE

As he walked up to the door, he heard his phone ring. "Hello, who is it?"

"I'm the only one who has this number, moron." Shin sighed. "Have you made contact with Kurosaki?"

Issanni smiled "Even better, I saved his orange haired friend and now they're going to pay me back at dinner."

"Good Issanni." And what about the reiastu sample."

"Already got it." He said as he pulled it out of his pocket and stared at it, before putting it back and going inside. "Anything el…Ahhh"

"Issanni? Issanni, what's wrong?" the phone now lay on the floor as he tried to get a certain female Espada off of him.

"Get off meeeeeeeee! Argh."

"How was the human world? Where did you go? What did you do? Who did you meet? Why did you leave me?" She cried out the last question.

"Suffocating me!" Chiyoko got off him and blushed, she and been blocking his airway with her modest chest. "Sorry." She said in a much softer tone.

"Don't do that again." He picked up the phone. "Wait a minute. Alright where were we Issanni?"

"I don't need anything other than what I've already told you. On a side note, tell Chiyoko that he gigai is ready." Shin said

"Yippy!" she started to jump at Issanni, but since he saw it coming this time merely got up and was in the kitchen on the other side of the apartment, before she even hit the ground. "No fare!" she pouted

"Alright, I'll send her with the sample in a few minutes." He hung up. "Chiyoko, take this with you when you go pickup your gigai." There was no response. "Chiyoko, where are you?" he went back into the main room, and saw that the door was open. "Damn it." He cursed as he caught up with her in seconds, even though she used sonido. "Chiyoko, don't go out of the house. Shin modded it so that it sealed the reiastu inside, the shinigami girl with Kurosaki might sense you."

"But I want my gigai, and you said not to use it in the city, so I was just leaving"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, you forgot this." He handed her the sample.

"Tha- Whoa." In a flash Issanni put her on his back, and ran her out of the city. Before opening a garganta and tossing her in. "Meanie. Why do you have to be so rough?"

"Any longer, and the shinigami, definitely would have sensed you. Bye-bye now" he snapped his finger and the garganta closed. 'finally some peace' he thought as he ran back home.


	10. Friendship 2

**Hola. Me again, so sorry if the story has been getting off track lately. I realized I kinda messed up, however it is a good chance for humor. Tell me if my comedy is good please. But only a few more chapters of this mission before we get back on track with the Espada. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed and/or subscribed to my story. Tell your friends. Oh, and I'm still looking for a beta reader. Send me a message if you would like to be my beta.**

SMALL DINER IN KARAKURA

"Where are they?" Chiyoko said while flailing her arms about. Her new gigai, looked just like her. Her hollow mask had been replaced with a red tattoo that ran across her nose. She wore a blue shirt, black boots, and a red tank top.

"Be quiet, we're five minutes early. It's no surprise they aren't here. Oh what do you know, they're early too." He pointed at Ichigo, Rukia, Uryu, and Orihime. All of them were dressed casually.

"Hi Issanni-kun!" Orihime waved. "Oh, who's this." She said looking at Chiyoko."

"You mean Chiyoko. She is my sis…"

She suddenly interrupted with a huge smile. "I'm his girlfriend" Issanni fell face first on the ground. He got up on his knees and gave her a death glare 'You're so dead.' Chiyoko just stuck her tongue at him.

"Oh you guys look like such a cute couple." Orihime said as she clapped her hands together.

Issanni put his arm over his 'girlfriends' shoulder. He smiled through his teeth. "Yeah we really do, don't we?" He started squeezing Chiyoko's arm.

"Yeah aren't we the cutest couple." She smiled as she offhandedly back fisted him.

Uryu and Orihime had seen the antics of Ichigo and Rukia and didn't find this odd. Ichigo and Rukia found it weird, since they had never seen themselves from someone else's point of view.

"Well let's eat." Uryu suggested.

They spent the next hour or so chatting. Issanni and Chiyoko mostly made everything up since they had been in Hueco Mundo all their lives.

Rukia laughed her ass off. "So you switched the label on two beakers, and they burned his eyebrows off. Ow, my stomach hurts from laughing. While she did tweak it a bit, she didn't make up her numerous pranks on her fellow Espada, mostly on Shin.

"Yeah and there was another time, when I poked a hole in the bottom of his glue bottles and sealed the other end, making squirt all over him." The whole table burst out laughing. Of course the real version of what happened used something a lot smellier than glue. And it didn't come out for a month.

Rukia, who was still struggling to suppress her laughter, asked "How does he fall for such simple pranks?"

"Who knows? I'm surprised he still falls for it."

Issanni spoke up "You really shouldn't be so cruel to him. One day it's going to bite you in the butt."

"I'm going to enjoy it until then." She raised her arm. "Woo, I'm full." She patted her belly. "Waiter! Check please." A waiter came by and carried away all twelve bowls of soup and all twelve bowls of everything else.

"Where do you put it all Chiyoko?" The two Espada had never tasted human food before and both instantly like it. Chiyoko however had no self control since it seemed like her gigai was a bottomless pit.

"Don't know, don't care." She shrugged. The waiter finally arrived with the check. Ishida almost had a heart attack when he saw the total. Fortunately he hid it well enough that no one noticed. 'Anything for the man who save her' he thought. He sweat dropped as he laid the contents of his wallet on the check.

"Well this was fun. What do you say we go somewhere else? Don't worry Uryu, we'll pay this time."

'How did he notice?'

They all tipped the waiter, who was sore from Chiyoko's orders; and left to continue their day.

FIVE DAYS LATER

"Did they notice I was gone?" Rukia had gone to kill a stray hollow that Zennosuke, had been to slow to kill. "Of course not, although they did notice your little personality change." He looked over his shoulder and saw Ishida in an arm lock. She was mad at him for not winning her a bunny at the fair. Rukia jumped into her gigai. Issanni and Chiyoko, didn't question her personality change because they saw Rukia leave. Issanni's phone started ringing.

"Sorry guys, I gotta take this." He walked around a corner, with Chiyoko after him. "Where have you been Shin! I've been calling you for three days."

"Sorry, I had more pressing matters."

Chiyoko jumped on Issanni's back. "Why don't I get a cool phone?"

"Get off me Chiyo-chan!"

"Why did you just call Chiyoko, Chiyo-chan?"

"Yeah funny story."

5 minutes later. "Oh my god, that's so fucking hilarious. I think I might die of laughter."

"It's not that funny. Besides it was her idea, I was gonna say she was my sister. Calling her Chiyo-chan just fit in with the whole relationship bit."

"Yeah Sanni-kun. Why do you act like this is a bad thing?"

"Just drop it already. What did you call me for Shin?"

Shin's laughter died down. "Just letting you know that the trap is ready. That reiastu sample really helped. How's he been progressing?"

"Why don't you check yourself?" Issanni peeked around the corner and snapped a quick picture of Ichigo's reiastu, and then he sent it to Shin."

"Finally!"

"What is it?" the two Espada asked in unison.

"Even if Kurosaki's reiastu increases at the lowest possible level, his spiritual body will be completely healed by tomorrow."

"About damn time, I hate pretending to be friends with this guys, Orihime is so annoying."

"But I like this place." Chiyoko whined into the phone. She was still perched on top of Issanni.

"Well, you can stay, but I'm going back to Hueco Mundo. See you in a few Shin." He hung up and ran back towards the gang. "Sorry guys, that was my sister, she's sick and I have to leave Karakura for a few days."Issanni lied.

"We wish her the best luck." Rukia waved. "Why don't we drop you off at the airport?"

"It's alright I'll go on my own." And with that he ran off.

Chiyoko just stared.

"Why aren't you going with him?" Ichigo asked.

"He likes to take care of family business on his own."

Issanni ran at top speed as soon as he was out of sight. He went home and dropped off his gigai. Then used sonido to leave town before anyone could sense his pressure and was back in Hueco Mundo.

**This arc should be finished by the next chapter, or chapter twelve.**


	11. Awakening

**Sorry for the wait. Finals are a real pain. I'm hoping to make up for it with a quality chapter. Finally we get to the main part of the story. Thanks to KurosakiKuchiki50, and everyone else who has reviewed. Important note, I really need OC arrancars. I have already created all of the Espada, but I need Fraccion and Numeros. If I really like your character, I will make them an Espada. Visit my bio for character criteria.**

ICHIGO'S APARTMENT. THE NEXT DAY.

It was another Sunday morning, and Rukia was on the couch watching Chappy cartoons. She waited paitently for Ichigo to wake up. 'Best. Mission. Ever.' She thought. She got up to go buy some breakfast. But not before seeing that Ichigo was sleeping peacefully. "Just stay like that until I'm back."

A FEW HOURS EARLIER. UNKNOWN LOCATION.

Ichigo had fallen asleep, with Rukia once again in his arms. 'I wish she could stay longer?' Rukia had informed him that he was almost fully healed. It could be any time before she had to leave. Ichigo fell asleep with a heavy mind. In what seemed like seconds, he opened up his eyes, only to find he wasn't in his room. He got up and realized he was standing on some girders. After a few minutes he recognized the place. It was his Inner World. For some reason it was back to its old skyscraper form.

"Do you finally recognize it?"

"Who's there?" Ichigo turned around.

"Down here." The deep voice said. Ichigo looked down, his world still had its unusual gravity, so down was the inside of the unfinished building. Kneeling in the center was a cloaked man, he was bound tight by countless chains, and each one extended out to some random beam and kept him suspended. "Who are you?"

"Shouldn't that be obvious by now?" he looked up at Ichigo for the first time, a dark hood shadowed his face.

"Zangetsu? Is that you?" Ichigo began to search for a way to release him, but to no avail. There was no way he could cut the chains.

"Close, I'm not Zangetsu. Please release me from this prison, and I shall tell you everything."

"How?"

"Find your spirit. Look around you Ichigo. All those skyscrapers represent a part of you. That one behind you is your need to protect those important to you, the one behind it is your love for your family, and the one to your right is your unwillingness to give up. This empty husk of a building you see now: this is your power as a shinigami." Ichigo looked around. Aside from the walls the building was complete. "To release me, you must use your sense. Each of the chains is keeping me restrained, but only one of them is actually sealing my power. Find it. When you touch it you will know what to do."

"But how am I supposed to find it? There are hundreds, it would take me days to search them all."

"Use your senses; you have some of you reiastu. Just do what you did last time." A memory suddenly attacked Ichigo. It was his time in the shattered shaft. His world was falling apart. He was falling, surrounded by thousands of small boxes. He remembered Uryu, telling him about Spirit Ribbons. "Do you remember now!" Ichigo calmed down and took a deep breath. He focused more than he ever had before. Ichigo felt a surge of power, he opened his eyes. Innumerable ribbons began appearing from the ends of the chains. But Ichigo was only looking for one. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the flash of red. He grabbed it; all the others disappeared from his vision. He looked up to we where the ribbon connected. Using agility, he didn't think he possessed anymore, he leaped up to the girder that the chain was connected to. As Ichigo go closer to it, he say the building was reforming. From the bottom up, the walls slowly began to fix themselves. "Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate." The figure in the center said. Ichigo reached for the chain.

ICHIGO'S APARTMENT.

Rukia had just gotten back and started taking out the food she had bought. She was about to call for Ichigo.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGH!" Rukia ran to his room. Ichigo was in the bed. The sheets were soaked in sweat, and Ichigo clenched his bed as he yelled in absolute agony. 'It's time.' Rukia thought to herself. She grabbed her soul candy, exited her gigai, and lifted Ichigo onto her back. She went outside and disappeared in a flash of Shunpo. Within minutes, they were at the small shop of the only man who could help them. Urahara was already waiting for them when they got to the front door.

In a rather serious tone, he spoke. "Bring him in, Kuchiki-san." She stepped in, and saw Urahara head to the basement. She quickly followed, all the while, she was careful not to drop Ichigo.

"Why down here?"

"Ichigo is going to be releasing a massive wave of reiastu when he gets his powers back. It's for safety reasons." He walked towards Tessai, who was kneeling on the floor, in front of a large circle with odd markings. Around the circle were eight odd people, dressed in human clothes, but they carried Zanpakutō. "Place Ichigo in the center." Rukia did as she was told. "Tessai you may start." Everybody around Ichigo started yelling loudly as they poured all of their reiastu into the odd circle. "Kuchiki-san; unless you don't mind seeing Ichigo get hurt, you might want to go. The process of regaining ones powers is extremely painful."

"Yes, Urahara." She got up and went to a secluded corner of the basement.

"Tessai, is this barrier strong enough to hold Kurosaki-san's reiasu?"

"We'll have to see for ourselves boss." Inside the circle, Ichigo started levitating into a cross position. Urahara thought to himself 'It's finally starting' he reached through the barrier the circle had created and hit Ichigo with the end of his cane. Ichigo's body fell away and out of the barrier. The barrier was only meant to suppress Ichigo's reiastu. Ichigo began to scream again. After what seemed like hours, Ichigo's body began to glow brightly, and a dark reiastu with a crimson outline began to leak out of his body. After a few seconds, everybody had to block their eyes, including Rukia, who was on the other side of the training field, practicing so that she could keep her mind off of Ichigo. Following up on the light, Ichigo's reiastu began to expand rapidly. The barrier, which had been maintained by nine former captains and vice-captains shattered, and blew them all away. They all quickly recovered and looked at the cloud of dust as it began to clear. Rukia came running toward them.

"What happened?"

Urahara answered. "We are about to find out how Ichigo faired."

The dust finally settled. Ichigo was in the center, in the exact same position as when he first achieved Shikai. There was, however, one major difference. Ichigo was not holding, Zangetsu. In his hand, was a pitch black daitō. His arm was bare with a chain wrapped around it, the prongs on the guard formed a large kanji; and he was in his Bankai robes.

**Time for the story to really start!**


	12. Bankai

**Ichigo finally got his powers back. It's been a long wait but it was worth it. Thanks to all my fans. Please send me a message with your OC. Any OC's posted in the review section will be ignored and removed.**

ICHIGO'S INNER WORLD

The moment Ichigo grabbed the chain, knowledge of how to release the man flooded into his brain. 'This chain isn't sealing his power, it's absorbing it. Then that must mean…'

"Yes Ichigo that is the only way to release me from my prison."

Ichigo concentrated once again. He began to absorb the reiastu from the chain.

"Take my power Ichigo, accept it." Ichigo started to feel the power. Then the reiastu exploded out of him and wrapped around him. His clothes began to disappear, only to be replaced by a pitch black robe.

"These are my bankai robes. Why am I in bankai?" Ichigo looked at the man.

"Summon you blade Ichigo. Summon it and release these accursed chains. I will explain everything once you have done so." Ichigo raised his arm to his right and opened his palm forward. As if through instinct, Ichigo concentrated on the reiastu that made up his right sleeve. His arm gained a faint, red glow. His sleeve dissipated at his shoulder and began to crawl down to his hand. The reiastu that he had gathered started to form a black blade. When it fully formed, Ichigo took a moment to admire it. It had the exact same appearance from when he had trained in the Dangai, with some slight differences. The cutting edge was silver and the tip was more pointed, similar to his Shikai. He was now wearing a black glove on his right hand that the sword is attached to as the chain at the base of the hilt has extended extensively and now wraps up the length of his now sleeveless right arm with the additional portion of the chain hanging down. Using the speed his bankai had given him and the raw physical power he gained when he absorbed his reiastu, Ichigo instantly cut all the chains and caught the man in the center. After taking him to the next building and looked back. The skyscraper he was just standing on started to rebuild itself, and in mere moments, the building was in pristine condition.

"Thank you, Ichigo." The man looked up.

"Who are you and where is Zangetsu?"

"Zangetsu is dead."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Impossible! There is no way! If he were dead, then I wouldn't' be holding this sword!" Ichigo showed him the blade.

"Calm down Ichigo, there is much that must be explained. First, let's start with who I am." The man grabbed his hood and pulled it back, revealing a young man with black, messy hair. "I am Tensa Zangetsu."

"Why are you in bankai?"

"Please, silence yourself. I was just about to get there. Back when you were a shinigami, do you remember, the last time you used your shikai?"

"Umm… right before I fought Grimmjow."

"Before that."

"I don't remember."

"The last time you used Zangetsu, was right before you fought the Privaron Espada. That time when you were in shikai right before your fight with Grimmjow was so short that I didn't have time to fully form. You've been in bankai, an incredibly long time."

"What does this has to do with Zangetsu being dead?"

Tensa Zangetsu raised four fingers. "Including your time in the dangai, you were in bankai for almost four months straight. No one other than Zaraki would even be able to maintain their shikai state for that long. Now that alone wouldn't cause this. But the Final Getsuga Tenshou was used while you were in bankai. Because of this, Zangetsu just faded away, with me in his place."

"So what are you trying to say?" Ichigo said as he got up.

"You will forever be in bankai." Tensa Zangetsu paused as he waited for Ichigo to answer.

"Do I have enough spiritual pressure to maintain that?" Ichigo quickly reformed his blade into his sleeve.

"Of course. If not, you would have died by now." Tensa Zangetsu turned around "Now go Ichigo. I will talk to you again, but right now I have nothing more to say." With that Tensa Zangetsu flashed brightly and without even realizing it, he was back in the human world.

**So what do you think? I know it's kinda short, and nothing other than explanations happened. But I felt it necessary. Tensa Zangetsu is annoying to type all the time, so outside of dialog, I'm just going to refer to him as Tensa. Oh, and this is my last update for a while. The microsoft word on my computer isn't working for some reason.  
**


	13. Hands on Training

**Hola.**

**URAHARA'S UNDERGROUND TRAINING AREA 3 DAYS LATER  
**

Shinji waited as Ichigo finally rounded a corner at high speed. No sooner did Shinji see him, than he was across the finish line. "5 miles in 5 minutes. Not bad; not as good as us, but not bad.

Ichigo was clearly out of breath. "Why did you have Ururu go after me?"

"It was Urahara's idea." Shinji turned around and threw his timer up a ledge where his fellow visored were sitting. "Final less-"

"'Why are we doing this? Why did I have to get my shinigami powers back? I could have just continued living my life."

"There were several reasons. The only one Yamamoto would tell me was that it was necessary to release your bottled up reiastu, lest you blow up."

Ichigo cringed at the thought. "You're in contact with Yamamoto-ossan?"

"Yeah he gave us amnesty, and our positions back. But we all decided we like it in the human world so we stayed. The same goes for Kisuke, Yoruichi, and Tessai."

"Why wouldn't he tell you, why I needed my powers?"

"He said Kurotsuchi-taicho was still researching whatever it is. I don't mean to be rude, but are you done asking questions?" He grabbed the hilt of his Zanpakutō.

"Yes. What's the next lesson?"

Shinji slowly unsheathes his sword. "You've already regained your use of Shunpo, your reaction is as sharp as ever, and your strength is unmatched. Now lets see if you can put it all to good use." He finished drawing his sword and swung it down, he tossed the sheath aside. "The rules are simple, you have to make me use my hollow mask."

"Simple enough." He extended his arm out and focused Tensa Zangetsu in his hand. "But you aren't gonna make it easy, are you?"

"How'd ya guess." he examined the edge of his sword. "Ichigo, one more thing; I won't hold back." In the blink of an eye Shinji was gone and appeared crouched in front of Ichigo, bringing his sword up to across his chest. Ichigo jumped back, it wasn't deep, but Shinji had slashed him. Ichigo disappeared. '_so predictable'_ Shinji turned around with plenty of time to block Ichigo's downward strike. Ichigo saw this, and flashed away once again, he appeared once again in front of Shinji and swung his sword. This time, Shinji barely blocked and was knocked upward by the force of the strike. "You're not holding back at all, are you Ichigo?"

"Nope." He Shunpoed above Shinji and struck. "I'm not the teenager I was 10 years ago. I'm not going hold back just because you're my ally, otherwise you'd kill me."

"Very smart, Ichigo." They both disappeared and began to rapidly clash with each other, releasing large amounts of reiastu as they did so, and destroying much of the surrounding scenery. 10 minutes later, both were still calm and collected. Both had many cuts on their clothing, but neither of them had drawn anymore blood. Ichigo rushed in once again. When he was just a few feet away, he began to rapidly use shunpo around Shinji, leaving dozens of after images. "I don't fall for these kind of tricks Ichigo." He turned to his right and struck at the real Ichigo, who dodged it by a hair, and appeared on the other side. Shinji quickly turned and struck but hit only an afterimage, followed by a the pain of a large slash on his chest.

"Gotcha." he pointed his sword at Shinji.

"Don't get cocky Ichigo. You're in bankai, and I haven't even released my shikai. This fight is far from over," he rubbed some blood between his fingers, before shaking it off. He flipped the sword around in his hand, and held it out. "Normally I wouldn't release this early; but like I said, 'I won't hold back.' and because you're an ally, i felt you deserved to see mine" he paused "Collapse, Sakanade(Counter Stroke)." The pommel of the sword became a large ring, allowing Shinji to rotate around his hand without touching it. The first few inches of the blade were covered by an extension of the hand guard. 5 holes were spread along the length of the blade. He started to spin it around his hand.

"That's certainly a unique design. What does it do?"

"Telling ya would spoil the fun." He inhaled deeply. "My, my, what is that wonderful smell. Smells like Strawberries." He giggled at his groan worthy pun.

_'Shit. Can't breathe it in.' _Ichigo held his breath._  
_

"Ya can't hold your breath forever, Ichigo." Shinji rushes at Ichigo, his sword poised to strike. He strike was blocked, but he succeeded in forcing Ichigo back and causing him to breathe in. "Got you Ichigo. Sorry, but this fight is over." Ichigo's eyes sight started to change. "Welcome; to the inverted world."

_'Damn this is bad.' _"Well obviously everything is upside down..." he notice that Shinji was holding his sword in the other hand. "and it's flipped sideways. Should I be expecting anything else."

"Well you certainly gotten smarter and more analytical since the last time we met. Keep it up and maybe you'll see some more surprises." he lunged forward. Ichigo readied himself, planning on how to block. When Shinji was a few feet away, he swung his sword, but is simply went through him, only to be impaled in the stomach. "Should I call Hachi now?"

"How did you-?"

"Sakanade reversed everything, even forwards and backwards. No matter how good you are, it's impossible to fight because the most used sense in combat is sight." he withdrew his sword. "In fact, the better a fighter you are, the worse it effects you, because your body will fight by instinct, even if you do somehow switch it in yer head, which is also impossible." he stepped back a few feet. "We can quit anytime you want. Even though you see me, I'm actually behind ya." Ichigo lashed out randomly, destroying the field. Shinji just calmly cut Ichigo time after time. "Yer barely standin' Ichigo, I applaud your perseverance, but please don't make me have to hurt you more. Getting me to use my hollow mask was just something I said to give you a goal. As far as I'm concerned, you won when you cut me and I released Sakanade."

"You know that I don't leave things like this unfinished." He pointed his sword at where he assumed Shinji was. Shinji lunged forward, aiming at Ichigo's chest, from Ichigo's perspective, Shinji was behind him. He turned, ready to block. The 'Shinji' in his view started slowing down, and everything became a bit darker. To his right, a young man in a black coat appeared. "Tensa Zangetsu! How did you get here?"

"I'm not actually materialized. I'm just projecting myself into you view." he stared forward. "I'm here to help; you aren't going to quit till you beat him, I know that, so instead of letting you get cut over and over, I can tell you where he is."

"How?"

"Simple, even though we are connected, we each have our own consciousness, the Inverted World is aimed at you, it doesn't effect me. I can tell you where he is."

"Thanks, I reall-"

"Knowing where he is won't make him use his mask, you have to use Amatsu Getsuga(Heavenly Moon Fang)."

"What's that?"

"An extra potent Getsuga Tenshou. The effects of the Final Getsuga Tenshou are far reaching, even something as simple as an attacks strength is affected. I'm not even sure if you can use a normal Getsuga Tenshou. There are more new thing to come, I can feel it" he clenched his hand. "Even I am still getting used to this new power. Just focus your reiastu into the blade, and launch it like you would with Getsuga Tenshou. Alternately, you can focus the reiastu back into the chain around your arm, it will make it stronger by compressing it into a small strike. Ready?"

"Always." Time reverted back to normal, and Ichigo once again felt the pain of a slash to the back.

"Forgive me if I sound arrogant, but please give up Ichigo." He charged once again. Ichigo began to build up his attack. Tensa Zangetsu focused, he pointed to his right.

Ichigo looked into what seemed like empty space, but he new he could trust Tensa Zangetsu with his life. He swung his sword. "AMATSU GETSUGA!" He released the compressed reiastu in a massive black burst. Not only was it potent, it was deceptively fast. Shinji never even had a chance to get out of the way. It blasted into Shinji and continued on all the way to the wall of the training area. Had the walls not been made of Seki Seki, they surely would have crumbled. Even now a thin line could be seen where it was impacted. "Amazing."

The energy finally faded away, and Shinji could be seen in the center. He was wearing his Hollow mask, and his shirt had been burnt off. He was bleeding profusely. Even his mask had several large cracks in it, they expanded until the whole thing shattered. "Good job Ichigo, that would have been overkill if I hadn't used my mask and blasted a cero to reduce the force of the attack." He looked behind him. "And it still had the force to crack Seki Seki stone. I didn't even know that was possible." He put his fingers in his mouth and whistled. Immediately, the other Visoreds appeared. Hachi immediately started tending to both their wounds. Everyone, even Hachi, cheered for Ichigo. In the hundred years they had been in exile, they had never gotten Shinji to use his mask when they were sparring, let alone injure him so grievously .

"Damn, that was my favorite shirt, too. Ichigo?"

"Yeah?"

"You pass." he gave him a thumbs up before passing out, it obviously took all his energy just to stay conscious after that attack. Ichigo followed suit, using such an attack so soon after gaining his powers back was extremely taxing.

**Whew, my first real fight seen. Took forever, it's pretty hard squeezing in dialog between text. Please review and tell me how I did on the fight. I read all of my reviews, and they are much appreciated. I really need to know if I nailed the fight scene, because a lot of my story depends on them.**


	14. First Strike

**Hola. Thanks to anyone who has review/subscribed/favorited my story, I read ALL of them. Oh, and implied lemon in this chapter, nothing R rated. I couldn't write that if I tried, it just wouldn't be good. I'm not even sure if what I wrote leading up to it is any good. :)**

URAHARA'S SHOP

"Where is he?" Rukia stared at her watch once again. "He should be out here." Ever since Ichigo had gotten his powers back, she had been at the apartment taking care of things for that and getting Ishida to give him a 'vacation'. Finally she heard the door slide open. Out stepped a familiar orange haired shinigami. She ran up to him, and kneed him hard in the stomach, quickly followed up by a kiss.

"What was that for?" Ichigo groaned.

"For making me worry."

"And what was the kiss for?"

"For making me worry?" She punched him in the arm and started walking away. "You coming or not?"

"Yeah, yeah." he made his way towards Rukia, and they headed back to Ichigo's apartment. "You should know by now that you don't need to worry about me, I can handle myself."

"What am I supposed to think when I here screams from the basement?"

"That was because I had to fight Shinji, among other things." He looked behind him, as if he was afraid of another surprise assault from Ururu.

"Well what did you do today?"

"They checked for any signs of my inner hollow, he hasn't made any appearances, and I hope to keep it that way."

"How did they do that?" she asked out of boredom on their walk.

Ichigo scratched the back of his head. "I don't know the specifics, but Rose and Love went into my inner world using some weird technique that transferred their conscious into my mind. Oh, and I almost forgot, when am I headed to Soul Society, Shinji said that Yamamoto needed me."

"They're sending someone tomorrow to pick you up."

"Well what do you want to do till then?" He nudged a bit closer to Rukia. She playfully punched him.

"Baka, what are you getting at?"

"What do you think I'm getting at?" Ichigo asked playfully. Before they knew it, they were at Ichigo's apartment. When they were inside, Ichigo lightly grabbed Rukia's shoulders. "You know how hectic business in Soul Society can be?" Rukia nodded. "You know we haven't had much, time together ever since we got my powers back right?" Once again Rukia nodded. "This could be our last night before you get sent back to Soul Society, I say we make the most of it." This time, Rukia didn't answer, she just got up on her toe's and planted her lips on his. She pulled away. A tear came to her eye.

"Ichigo... You know we can't do this, I love you to, but it just wouldn't work" She turned away. "You're a human, I'm shinigami, their are years separating us, and of course, Byakuya would kill you. I'm sorry Ichigo, but we can't go any farther than we already have." Ichigo just went behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, surprising her.

"Age doesn't matter, we both love each other, and when have I ever let rules get in the way." He kissed her cheek. "I can handle Byakuya." Rukia smiled, and wiped away her tears. She turned around and jumped on Ichigo, and kissed him passionately.

"That attitude is what I love about you Ichigo." she said between breaths. Ichigo slowly, but surely stumbled to the bedroom. Rukia's dress had already fallen off in the hall, and they closed the door. At last, 10 years of love that neither could act upon, was released in a night. A night neither of them would ever forget.

NEXT DAY. BETWEEN ICHIGO'S APARTMENT AND URAHARA'S SHOP

"Hey, Rukia, isn't that Chiyoko?" Ichigo asked whiled he pointed across the street.

"I think it is. Come to think of it, we haven't seen her in a while." Chiyoko, quickly ran across the street, she had a panicked look on her face, her hair was a mess, and she was clearly out of breathe.

"Ichigo, Rukia I need your help." She started breathing harder, she looked behind herself, as if to confirm no one followed her.

Ichigo grabbed her shoulders. "Calm down Chiyoko, what happened?"

She put her hands up on her head. "I don't know." Both shinigami noticed a large bruise on her arm. They looked at each other and new what it was. "Chiyoko, I need you to take us to wherever this happened."

"Okay, okay." She still had a panicked look on her face, but she had stopped breathing to hard. She grabbed his hand, and ran off to an area about 2 blocks away.

"Is this the place Chiyoko?"

"Yeah, Yeah." She laughed hysterically. "Over here." she ducked into an alleyway.

"Chiyoko, wai-" they both heard an ear splitting scream. "Chiyoko!" both shinigami yelled in unison. Rukia had pulled out her Soul Candy, and Ichigo pulled out the recently fixed shinigami badge. They both ran into the alley, Rukia was already in her shinigami form with her sword drawn. Ichigo paused right before he exited his body, when he saw Chiyoko standing there. "Chiyoko, are you okay."

When Chiyoko spoke, she was a lot more calm and collected. "Never been better." She turned to face them, showing off her hollow mask fragment. Only then did they notice the body lying beside her.

"A gigai." Rukia stated. "Who are you really and what are you doing with a gigai?"

She glanced at her discarded gigai. "Oh, that old thing? I don't need it anymore, that was for the first part of the plan. We're are on to the second stage now." She pointed at Ichigo, who finally overcame his shock and exited his body. "The second stage is to capture you." She snapped her other fingers and a black line drew itself in the air around her. It curved and began to split.

"An arrancar!" Ichigo drew his sword. "Why are you after me? Aizen is defeated."

"Patience, Ichigo." At last the garganta was open and two figures stepped out.

"Issanni? You too?" Rukia yelled. Preparing for a battle with three arrancars she immediately released Sode no Shirayuki. She stabbed the ground four times, but didn't fire yet.

The other man placed his hand on his chest. "Forget about me? I'm hurt." He let out a maniacal laugh.

"Who are you really?"

Chiyoko knelled down and lowered her boot to her thigh. "Chiyoko Arruruerie. Septima Espada.

Issanni turned around, allowing his jacket to flap up. "Issanni Lanzar. Sexta Espada."

Shin stuck out his tongue. "Shin Científico. Quinto Espada."

They all spoke together. "and..." a third figure walked though the garganta.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez." He pulled back his jacket. "Cuarto Espada." He sneered.

Ichigo and Rukia were so shocked they couldn't move. Espada? And four of them. Ichigo spoke up. "You're lying! Soul Society wiped out the Espada ten years ago."

Shin laughed. "Fool. The Espada have always existed. Long before Aizen was even born. The Espada are simply the ten strongest arrancar. Even if they are weaklings, there will ALWAYS be espada. Unfortunately for you we aren't weaklings."

Ichigo motioned to Rukia to run away. "No way in hell Ichigo. You don't stand a chance against four espada."

'Should've guessed that she wouldn't listen.'

Grimmjow pointed at them pointed at Ichigo. "Get him." In an instant, Issanni had appeared behind Rukia and knocker her out.

"Rukia!" Ichigo yelled worriedly.

"Never turn away from your enemy." Ichigo looked back and Shin was infront of him. His right hand had closed around Ichigo's throat.

'Shit!' Ichigo wildly swung his sword and severed Shin's arm. He recoiled in pain but Issanni quickly took his place and kicked Ichigo back in to the building on the other side of the street. Ichigo never even recovered before Shin was over him. He took a syringe filled with a white, thick liquid and injected it into Ichigo's chest, as Issanni and Chiyoko held him down. Ichigo struggled to break out. He finally did so when he released a large burst of reiastu that knocked them back. But it was to late and the syringe had been emptied. "BASTARDS! What did you just do to me?" Grimmjow casually walked up. His hands still in his pockets.

"Stay alive long enough and maybe you'll find out." Ichigo flash stepped up into the sky above Karakura. He was quickly pursued. 'Shit, where is everybody. There's no way they haven't sensed this reiastu.'

"They aren't coming to help." Shin said. "Before we arrived, Chiyoko created a barrier that seals all reiastu, and recreates it so that is seems like nothings wrong. I put the whole area in a Stasis field." He pulled out another syringe. He injected it into the stump where his hand used to be, and withing seconds, he had a new limb.

Chiyoko shouted to Grimmjow. "Hey, how long do we have to hold him off!"

Shin replied instead. "I already told you, just watch his eyes, and I'll tell you when." "While Shin had been talking, Ichigo had secretly built up reiastu in his blade. But instead of launching it. The reiastu traveled up the length of the chain wrapped around his arm. It traveled all the way to his other hand, where it appeared as a small ball of energy in Ichigo's hand.

"AMATSU GETSUGA!" Ichigo swung his fist forward in a clawing motion. The reiastu released as a small, extremely concentrated wave. Issanni was the first to notice the attack, as it traveled faster than the eye could see.

"Shin!" When it was within feet of Shin, it was blocked by Grimmjow.

"Pay attention! An attack of this strength would have torn through you and still had enough energy to kill someone else." Grimmjow swung his sword to the side, redirecting the blast elsewhere.

"Sorry, Grimmjow." Ichigo heard a sound behind him. He turned around and saw Chiyoko holding a bow and charging up a shot. The part that Chiyoko held was average, but the part of the bow that would normally bend back, were instead three parallel blades that had the curve of a bow. Ichigo couldn't dodge as an arrow pierced his shoulder.

"Good job, Chiyoko. Stress will accelerate the the process.

Ichigo clutched his wound. 'what process damnit!' Ichigo started feeling lightheaded. 'damn' he quickly flew down to the roof of a building. 'not now, what's happening?' his chest started hurting immensely. The Espada flew down to his location.

"I think he's ready Shin."

"I know you fool. Chiyoko go open the garganta." Chiyoko disappeared onto an roof across the street, and opened up a garganta. "Issanni, go find his shinigami friend and drop her off where she'll be found." He ran off to do what he was told. Shin turned to Grimmjow "I believe you wanted the honors?"

"What are you doing!" Ichigo slowly got up, his head was hanging down. "This fight isn't over yet."

Grimmjow flashed forward and kicked Ichigo across onto the other roof. "What are you talking about? It's over, and even if it wasn't, I would be worrying about an entirely different fight if I were you." Ichigo locked eyes with Grimmjow, the black slowly crawled across his eye.

**I think I just did a fanfiction first. (Fail)lemon, and a battle, all in one chapter. Please review.**


	15. Resignation

**Hola, Thanks to everyone for the reviews/favorites. I read ALL of them, and each one is appreciated.**

ROOF IN KARAKURA TOWN

"What's-happening? What did you do to me?" Ichigo had a throbbing headache, his vision was blurring horribly, he couldn't keep his balance, and he felt a deep urge to throw up.

"You'll find out soon enough." Shin replied. Grimmjow walked up to Ichigo and grabbed him by the throat. Using his free hand, he punched Ichigo across the roof. He landed right in front of the now open garganta. Ichigo, was no longer even able to hold his sword, and he finally puked out a thick, white liquid.

'Is that-'

Shin laughed maniacally. "Kurosaki Ichigo, that serum I injected into you earlier." he pulled out another syringe. "It is a serum I created just for you. It multiplies the strength of a hollow exponentially. But, it burns away the body. You however are a shinigami, you're body won't burn, and most importantly, you're inner hollow will be reborn." Ichigo was to nauseous to even reply. Shin began to charge up a purple bala. "You will die today, Kurosaki." He launched it at Ichigo, knocking him back into the garganta, and onto the roof of Las Noches. As Ichigo slowly began to loose his vision, he saw the garganta close up. No longer able to stay awake, his vision faded entirely to black.

"Well," Shin clapped his hands together. "What do you say we go back now. Shizuka is supposed to take care of the rest."

"Yeah." He looked up at the sky. "Think we should take down the barrier. We're supposed to let them know we where here." Chiyoko walked up to them.

"Yeah, lets just wait for Issanni." Issanni appeared behind her, making her jump up in surprise.

"Hi how you doin'?" he didn't at all react to Chiyoko's scream.

"Don't scare me like that."

"Why dear, what on earth are you talking about? I would never scare you." He said it in the most innocent voice he could. This however, caused Chiyoko to pounce on him, and the began to fight.

Shin sighed and turned to Grimmjow, "I'll never know why I consider myself their friends."

"Just get us out of here. I never liked the human world."

"Sure thing." Shin took out a small round thing that looked like a key chain. He pressed the button, and the barrier that had been suppressing their reiastu was lifted. "I'd say we have a few seconds before we get here." He charged up a bala and launched it at the two quarreling espada. "Would you two please stop fighting? The other shinigami are no doubt on their way." The two merely nodded.

As Shin predicted: they were all surrounded by Urahara, Yoruichi, Shinji, Ukitake, and Byakuya. They had already drawn their swords. Kisuke spoke first. "My, my, why are four arrancar here? Would you kindly explain how you hid your reiastu from several, captain level fighters."

Shin responded. "A simple barrier. Nothing fancy."

"And the other half of my question?"

Grimmjow spoke up. "Doesn't matter, you won't be able to do anything about it once we leave."

"Who said we would let you leave?" Ukitake asked.

"You're going to, you really won't risk a fight here. We probably already killed a dozen humans when we knocked Ichigo into that building." Chiyoko pointed at the building. "We know that you aren't going to fight us here.

"Everybody's ears perked up at the mention of Ichigo's name. Yoruichi took a step forward. "Where is Ichigo now?"

Grimmjow spoke up. "Hueco Mundo. He's in Hueco Mundo, and there is nothing you can do about it."

Byakuya cleared his throat. "I have fought Kurosaki before, he would never allow himself to be defeated by just four arrancar."

It was Issanni's turn to speak. "That is true. But, it's kinda hard to fight when you're trying not to kill civilians, AND resist hollowfication. Besides," He once again turned around and let his cloak flap. "We aren't normal arrancar. Sexta Espada, Issanni Lanzar." His allies quickly followed suit.

"Chiyoko Arruruerie. Septima Espada."

"Shin Cientifico. Quinto Espada."

"Grimmjow. Caurto Espada."

Everyone's eyes widened, as they introduced themselves, one by one. Shin spoke up. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm getting bored of this little 'question and answer' game" He snapped his fingers, and another garganta opened up. "So I think we'll take our leave."

Everyone began to release their zanpakuto and charged at them. But, the were blocked by a wall of red. The looked to see who fired it, and they all locked eyes with Kisuke. "They're right. We can't risk the civilians around here. Stand down."

"Thank you Urahara. You really are worthy of your intelligence." they turned around to leave.

"Oh, and don't worry about Ichigo." Grimmjow spoke. "We'll take good care of him." He sneered sadistically.

Ukitake said. "Wait, what is this about Ichigo's hollofication. I was filled in about Ichigo's training. I was told there were no signs of his inner hollow."

"We're arrancar. We know a lot more about hollowfication than you do." He walked though the garganta, shutting it closed behind him.

The shinigami all lowered their swords. They all let out a deep breathe. Byakuya spoke first. "If we are to save that boy, we must launch an immediate counter attack."

"Let's not do anything brash." Ukitake responded, as he sheathed his sword. "We must return to Soul Society first. Those were four espada. That means that they're are at least six others. Espada never work alone."

"What do they want with Ichigo?" Yoruichi asked.

Kisuke fixed his hat. "I don't know. But we have to get back to the shop and head to Soul Society. Byakuya, Jushiro, Shinji; go inform the Soutaicho of what just happened. The rest of us will catch up." Byakuya quickly opened a Senkaimon, and dashed through; soon followed by Jushiro, and Shinji. "I have a bad feeling about this."

URAHARA'S SHOP

"Everyone gather you're things! We're leaving now!" Kisuke barked as soon as he was in the basement where the visoreds were sparring.

"Why would we do that!" Hiyori asked. "And where's baldy, and Strawberry?"

"Change of plans, just get ready." Kisuke started to release some uncharacteristically dense reiastu.

Hiyori cowered in fear. "O-okay." She ran off.

"Kuchiki-san. You too."

"Where's Ichigo?" She was clearly worried for him.

"He's been kidnapped by the Espada who attacked you. I'll explain it better on the way, but if the espada have Ichigo, then it means Soul Society is in danger. Now I need you to got get Sado, Ishida, and Inoue."

The news of Ichigo's capture, tore at Rukia's heart. 'So soon?' She was on the verge of tears. They had finally admitted their love for each other. 'why? It's only been a day.' She ran of to go retrieve her friends. She knew she would have to grieve later. But as she did so, she couldn't help but stare at he silver ring on her right hand. The ring that he had given her last night. The ring that showed their love. The ring that he had gotten on one knee for, and said three little words. The ring that made her cry tears of joy. She clearly remembered hugging Ichigo so tight that he lost consciousness.

Kisuke ran to prepare the reiastu converter. In no time; Sado, Ishida, and Inoue at the shop, ready to head to Soul Society. Before he opened the portal, Kisuke yelled out to Tessai. "Tessai, seal everything, and follow us later."

"Of course boss."

Kisuke opened the Senkaimon, and watched as Ichigo's friends dived in, followed by Yoruichi, and then the visoreds. Once they had gone in, he too, dived in.

DANGAI PRECIPICE WORLD

Everyone was running to avoid the current. They couldn't use hell butterflies because that would leave Ichigo's friends behind. Kisuke took advantage and began to fill everyone in, along with Rukia. "Ichigo and I where on our way to the shop, when we ran into Chiyoko; a friend we had made earlier along with Issanni, who saved Orihime. She looked like she was in trouble and she asked us to follow her. She lead us to an alleyway, where she revealed her self to actually be an arrancar in a gigai. She opened a garganta, and three other arrancars came out, one of whom was Issanni. They introduce themselves to be espada 7-4. I assumed I was knocked out, because the next thing I remember was waking up in the training area."

Kisuke talked next. "According to what little information we could get out of them, a fight with Ichigo ensued. The once who called himself Shin, injected him with some sort of liquid. They continued to fight, until Ichigo began to succumb the the liquid they had injected him with."

Love spoke. "That does make sense. It's very difficult to fight while trying to suppress your hollow. He probably began to convulse."

"Apparently while he was incapacitated, the knocked him into Hueco Mundo. Then they released a barrier, that had allowed them to fight without being noticed. That's when we left, and found Kuchiki-san outside the door. We had to let them leave, because we couldn't risk a fight with civilians around. That's when I sent the captains and Shinji to Soul Society. Does everyone understand."

"Poor Kurosaki-kun." Inoue covered her mouth. Ishida padded her shoulder.

Sado did the same. "Don't worry about it Inoue. Ichigo's one the guy." He gave her a thumbs up. Soon they were blinded by a white light, and out they fell into Sereitei.

CAPTAINS MEETING HALL

All the captains listened patiently as Kisuke told everyone what happened. Shinji had somehow gotten Yamamoto to call a captains meeting that included the lieutenants. When Urahara finished they all waited in silence as Yamamoto thought.

"It is as I feared."

"Shinji yelled. "What do ya mean 'as I feared'? Did you know this was going to happen?" Even though nobody made a sound, heavy tension could be felt around the room.

"I was not once hundred percent sure, but I've had Kurostuchi-taicho keep observing. Mayuri, would you please explain what you have found?"

Mayuri stepped forward, and cleared his throat. "About nine years ago, I sensed heavy arrancar energy during a routine scan of the three worlds. Now that alone isn't much, as it is known that Las Noches is where Espada lived. But about five years ago, it started to rise sporadically, similar to reiastu released during training." He pulled out a remote, and a small machine rolled in and projected a chart on to the wall. "The reiastu began to rise much higher, suggesting that they were gaining strength. i informed Soutaicho and I've been keeping tabs on them since." He switched to another image, with the lines much higher that before. "This was a few months ago. Their activity began to increase. It was at this time that Yamamoto-soutaicho sent Kuchiki of the thirteenth squad, to remain with Ichigo. We both feared another attack."

Shinji's rage had slowly built up as Mayuri spoke. "You're saying, that you knew this might happen! Why wasn't I informed of this, when I was the one training him for this!" Everyone was shocked at Shinji's rage. He had always been one of the calmer captains. "Why didn't you have us tail him or something!"

"I did not want to cause unnecessary panic." Yamamoto defended himself.

"UNNECESSARY PANIC! This is extremely important information. We could have been better prepared! We could have had sent some of ourselves out to keep watch over the town. If you are right, and we are headed towards war again, then YOU just caused us to lose one of our strongest fighters." Shouts of agreement, were heard from several shinigami, especially from Renji Abarai, Ikkaku Madarame, Yumichika Ayasegawa, and Katsumi Saburo, the newest captain of Squad three.

Katsumi, who had the appearance of a young man of average height with jet black hair, and and thin face spoke first. "I was just a 5th seat during the winter war, but anyone here could tell that keeping your captains and allies in the dark about any danger was an extremely stupid tactical move."

Renji spoke next. "You had Ichigo trained, and didn't even tell him what he was training for!"

"Even the Zaraki squad respects Ichigo's strength, but never before have you not kept us informed." Ikkaku yelled.

Unohana spoke up. "Yamamoto-soutaicho, us captains, lieutenants and thousands of shinigami have followed you for years. Never once have we questioned your judgment." Unohana raised her voiced for the first time in years. She wasn't yelling but it was loud enough to make the other captains shake. " We don't question your strength, but your ability to think tactically. You almost allowed Kuchiki-san to be executed, because 'central 46' said so, you had know problem allowing the exile of the visoreds and their allies, while treating them as acts of treason without all the evidence, you allowed us captains to fall one by one, from Aizen's hand, you then almost killed us to kill him AFTER we had been felled, you labeled Inoue-san as a traitor the moment you heard of her departure to Hueco Mundo, and now this. These are not the choices a leader should make."

Yamamoto slowly stood up. "What are you saying Unohana-taicho?" His voice was very threatening. Everyone in the room was shocked by Unohana's act of defiance, and everyone, even Kenpachi, scooted closer to the door.

"Forgive me for this, old friend. But, I am saying you are no longer fit to lead the Gotei 13." Yamamoto's reiastu flared up. The area around him actually caught on fire, despite the fact the his sword was still sealed.

"I respect your opinion, Unohana-san. But what do you plan on doing about it." The replacement of taicho, did not go unnoticed by Unohana, who showed no signs of being affected by Yamamoto's reiastu.

"I am saying, that we enact Order #1." All the captains nearly gasped in shock. Order #1 was very first order the Yamamoto had given as a safeguard. If ALL captains agree, then the Soutaicho will be removed from power. She turned around. "The voting for Order #1 is simple. You raise your hand, if it is agreed that Yamamoto must be removed from his seat. Everyone please vote." There were a few seconds of doubt, but within a minute not a single hand was down. Even the loyal to a fault Sajin Komomura. "The captains have spoken." Unohana turned around. "Yamamoto-dono, would you kindly take of you captains haori?" Tension filled the air. Everyone stood where they were, until Yamamoto sighed.

"You are right Unohana-taicho. I have been a fool the past hundred years. I step down shall willingly step down as Soutaicho." He began to leave.

"Don't leave." Unohana spoke softly. "I said you are know longer fit to lead us, but you are still the greatest fighter in all of Soul Society. The new Soutaicho would be more than happy to have you as a lieutenant." He didn't respond, but instead took off his cloak and placed it on Unohana's shoulders.

"You are the only one fit to take my position. But I must decline."

"We all said we wanted you out of the captains seat. We never said we wanted you gone." She extended he hand out. "Please."

He thought for a moment, then grabbed her hand. "I accept."

Unohana went over and sat in the Soutaicho seat. "Now that this little fiasco is over. There is still the matter of what to do with Ichigo Kurosaki." All the captains and lieutenants returned to their positions.

Kisuke walked up. "We couldn't chase after the Espada before due to the lack of fighting force, but if we can mount a proper rescue team..."

Yamamoto-fukutaicho spoke up. "We cannot send a force after one man."

Unohana silenced him. "That way of thinking is the reason I am where I am right now. We must rescue Kurosaki. If the data is right, we will have to fight them eventually anyway. Not to mention that Kurosaki-san is one of the strongest fighters we have, they obviously kidnapped him for a reason." She faced forward. "Urahara-san, I'm putting you in charge of the rescue team. Take as many men as you need. There is a strong chance you will face a large portion of their force. Kurostuchi-taicho, I want you to prepare the Fake Karakura town."

Both men bowed. "Yes Unohana-Soutaicho."

**Wow that took forever to write. Several major story points were shown here, but most importantly(well technically second), the resignation of Yamamoto. I actually never planned on it. The idea came while I was writing the 'dissent' after he informed them. Please read and review. :)**


	16. Muerte Del Guerrero

**Hola. I have planned out the GENERAL story all the way to the end, but I'm still constantly getting new ideas for it, and need to figure out how to add it in. I went through 3 versions of Chiyoko until I got her the way she is. Anyway, just letting you know that the story is a bit different than I planned. Oh, and Katsumi Saburo is an OC captain I made, the other one is Gorou Hayato.**

AREA IN FRONT OF STAIRS. ONE WEEK LATER.

Kisuke was standing by the two pillars. It took a lot longer than he had wanted to asssemble his rescure squad, and he began to initiate the rescure attept. Nobody spoke, but everybody could feel the tension in the air. They all knew the casualities the Espada had caused last time, and this time, they didn't have Ichigo. Kisuke, Renji, Rukia, Sui-feng, Byakuya, Hisagi who was appionted to captain, Toshiro, Katsumi, Shinji, Love, Rose, Gorou, Shunsui, and Ukitake; all waited for Tessai to open the Senkaimon. In any other situation, such a force would be unnesecarry, but the situation didn't allow Soul Society to wait, and they were forced to stage a full on assault as they rescued Ichigo

"Tessai open the garganta." Urahara adjusted his sword, which he had reverted back to it's original form.

"Yes, Boss." He placed his hands on the ground and began to pour his reiastu into the maching Mayuri had made. Slowly, a line drew itself across the beams, shortening and expanding. Eventually it began to open. Kisuke sensed something was wrong, but he couldn't tell what.

"Tessai, try using the incantation!" He was beginning to worry.

"Of course. _My right hand is the stone that bridges worlds. My left hand is the blade that binds reality. The black-haired shepherd is hung from a chair. Stratus clouds come, and I strike down the ibis."_ The Garganta grew larger but Kisuke was still worried.

Urahara searched his brain for answers, 'shit, why isn't this working, Tessai used the incantation, and we have Mayuri's machine. Why isn't this open already?' His eyes widened as he found the answer. "TESSAI, STOP!"

Tessai tried to but he was to slow, and an invisible force knocked him into the wall behind him with bone crushing force.

"Once again, you prove to be a man worthy of your intellect. Everyone turned around to the new voice with swords drawn and saw Shin staning in the air. "How'd you figure it out?"

"I've opened up gargantas before, I could tell something was wrong the moment it didn't open." Kisuke place a hand on his sword. "When I felt the energy eminating from it when it opened slightly, I could tell there had been some sabotage." He drew his blade and pointed it at the arrancar. "Would you mind telling me how you managed to seal of an entire dimension." Everyone's eyes widened.

Rukia stepped forward. "What have you done with Ichigo you bastard."

Shin rolled his eyes at the intrusion. "All I did was induce his hollowfication. We did nothing else after that." He charge a purple bala and fired at Rukia, but she effortlessly counted it with a quick Sokatsui blast. "Anyway, what was I saying before we were so rudely interrupted? Oh yeah, we didn't seal it off. To understand you need to think of each dimension as a circle, and they are arranged in a triangle. Each one is connected with one another by a 'doorway.' Well, what I did was created a machine that would rotate Hueco Mundo, so that it wasn't alligned. It's a lot more complicated than that, but if I went into the details, only Urahara would understand."

"Reign over the frosted heavens! Hyourinmaru!" Toshiro launched a large ice dragon that circled it's way towards Shin. "It was a mistake coming hear alone; Espada."

'so brash' The dragon smashed itself into pieces within a foot of Shin. He place his hand on his forhead. "Fool, you really think I would come to Soul Society alone without some form of protection." He snapped his fingers, and a once invisible box appeared around him. "Portable negacion. Nice, don't you think? Only problem is that it can't move while in use."

"So why are you here?" Byakuya asked.

"I came to see is you'd figure out the 'disclocation' of Hueco Mundo. I am a scientist after all, I get curious. Also, we just want you to know that I lied earlier." He turned around and opened a garganta. At this point, all the captains and liutenants arrived as well as Ichigo's friends. Just in time to witness several more garganta open up. 12 more arrancar stepped out. A woman in a blood red dress stepped forward. Her eyes remained closed. She motioned to the other arrancar around her. "We are the Espada. We are the Harbingers of your defeat. We are the strongest beings you will ever know." She raised a finger. "One month; we give you one month to prepare. Do not even think of attacking us. All garganta will be disabled again the moment we leave."

Kenpachi spoke up. "Why the hell should we wait a month, let's fight now." He already had a sword drawn and was licking his lips with bloodlust.

"Many reasons. But the main one is the same reason we are here today." She waved her hand and two garganta appeared beside her. In each one, her fraccion stood. They both kneeled on a bundle. "As I have said before. We are the Espada. We are the harbingers of your defeat. We are the strongest beings you will ever know." She motioned to the fraccion, and they both kicked out their respective bundles. "and most importantly. We are responsible for this." The two bundles finally fell fifty feet through the floor. They all looked at what had fallen.

Two bodies. Both badly hurt. Ichigo Kurosaki, and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. Rukia ran over fell to Ichigo and fell to her knees beside the body; tears steaming down her face. "No!" she yelled in denial. "No, no, no, no, no, no." She continued to utter in denial.

All the Espada spoke together. "Your greatest fighter, Ichigo Kurosaki is dead."


	17. Preparaciones Para La Guerra

**Hola. Sorry about the update gap. I've been working on La Vida De IchiRuki, but turns out I'm not good at righting that kind of story. I've had to cut it down to only five chapters. Thanks for the reviews. In case you are wondering, Yes, I am indeed evil for leaving you with that cliffhanger last chapter.**

ONE WEEK LATER. FOURTH SQUAD BARRACKS.

"Byakuya, what are you doing here?" Ukitake who was peeking from the edge of the doorway, put a hand on his colleague's shoulder. "You should be at your squad barracks."

Byakuya turned his head revealing a very solemn face. "I know. But, I had to come here. I had to-" His voice trailed off.

"You mean Kuchiki-san? Unohana said the best thing to do was to let her mourn. It hurts me also to see her like this." Ukitake gently guided Byakuya away from the room were Rukia sat.

"Ukitake-senpai, my heart is heavy. No one should ever see their sister the way Rukia is now." He looked at Ukitake. For the first time in centuries, he allowed a single tear to flow down his cheek. "She has not left Ichigo's side for seven days now."

"It is not your fault Byakuya." Juushiro patted Byakuya's shoulder. "She will heal, it will take time."

"That is not it. Her voice, when she screamed for him…it haunts me." He put his hands on his temples, as he remembered that day…

_Rukia continued to weep. "ICHIGO! ICHIGO!" She screamed in despair, shaking his body in an attempt to wake him. "DON'T DIE, DON'T DIE! I WON'T LET YOU!" She grabbed his hand. "I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU IF YOU DIE." She sobbed. "Don't leave me alone, please." She rested her forehead on his chest, and allowed her hand to rest in his._

"She cried so many tears for him." He paused. "She cared for him. He accomplished in mere months, what I couldn't do in decades." He looked at Juushiro. "He made her smile."

Ukitake nodded sympathetically. "From the day Kaien died, she was always closed off. She has two different personalities. The one she wears in Soul Society, and the one when she's around Ichigo." He paused. "That's the real one."

"The one man - the one man who allowed her to be herself lies dead in that room. She loved him, I could tell. I myself didn't, but I never intervened. It was good for her to be around him. Now, there is nothing I can do."

"It is all right, give her time." He patted his friend's shoulder. "There is something you can do." Byakuya turned his head toward him. "Just be supportive of her as she is going through this difficult time. She needs it now more than ever."

Byakuya wiped away the lone tear. "Thank you Ukitake," he said before turning from him.

"No problem."

SQUAD ONE BARRACKS

"You all have your orders." Unohana leaned forward. "There is one last order of business to attend to. Bring him in please." The doors open and two silhouettes stood there.

"Keep moving." Shinji pushed the other figure forward.

"No need to be pushy." Grimmjow looked at his jailer. "Why do I even have these cuffs on? It's not like I can even do anything."

"Just listen." He grabbed his shoulder and pushed Grimmjow down to his knees in the center of the room in full view of the captains.

Unohana spoke up. "How has the interrogation been, Hirako-san?"

"This guy is one tough bastard."

"I TOLD YOU, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"

"Yeah right, you lying son of a bitch." Shinji made a fist.

"Please do not do that Hirako-san. I will ask him."

"Good luck." Shinji walked out.

Retsu stood and walked towards Grimmjow, stopping three feet in front of him. "Please tell us what you know. I'd rather not cause you anymore discomfort."

"I'll tell you the same thing I told the other guy. I don't know what they did to Ichigo."

Unohana smiled widely and focused her reiastu at Grimmjow. "Do not lie to me. You were seen in the human world, you stated that you had fought Ichigo. What are the forces we are up against?"

Grimmjow shuddered in fear. "I'll tell you all I know." He sighed with relief when she let up on the reiastu. "I remember fighting Ichigo, and kicking him into Hueco Mundo, then going in myself. I must have done something to piss them off, because the next I remember is waking up in your med bay with restraints." He struggled at the cuffs. "Can you please take these off?"

Sui-feng stepped forward. "Why would we release an Espada? We aren't idiots."

"It's not like I can do anything. 13 of you and one of me. Besides…" He looked down. "It's not like I can do anything. He motioned to his cheek, where his mask no longer was. "I'm powerless."

Unohana released the seal. "Please be more specific."

Grimmjow rubbed his wrists. "I went into Hueco Mundo, I did something." He struggled to remember. "They attacked me. They must have wiped my memory." He put his hand on his cheek. "They stole my powers somehow."

"Is that even possible?"

"I don't know, but it's all I can think of."

Unohana looked at her fellow captains. "You are all dismissed. I want you all training your squads. Hirako-san, you can take him back."

All the captains complied and went to their respective barracks.

SQUAD TWO BARRACKS

Soi Fon observed as she trained her men harder than ever before. "Faster! We need to be better than ever if we are to survive another war. Oomaeda! You too!" She shunpoed over to the area that Yoruichi was training several shinigami in hakuda. "Yoruichi-sama, is everything okay over here?"

"Yes Soi Fon. Keep the training up. We're going to need it."

SQUAD THREE BARRACKS

"Don't hold back Izuru!" He dived towards Izuru with his hand poised to stab.

"Yes, Taicho." He blocked the strike and pushed him back, but Katsumi flipped several times and landed a few feet away. No sooner had his feet touched the ground, than he was charging Izuru again. Izuru stabbed forward, but he sidestepped it and grabbed the sword by its flat end. Izuru was helpless as his hand reached for his throat.

"If you want to survive, you have to go all out." Katsumi's hand was an inch away from Kira's throat. Katsumi had the hakuda skills to rival Sui-feng, and it showed with his fighting style that didn't allow his opponents to recover and using his hands as spears. "Why didn't you release Wabisuke?"

"I can't hurt you taicho."

"Not the point. I don't expect you to win, I expect you to go all out. If it were anyone but me, you would be dead by now. I'd don't want to see you die Izuru."

"Yes Taicho."

"Hikara!"

"Yes nii-san?" Hikara responded. She had black hair that hung down to her shoulders. She was a little short with a modest bust.

"Come train with Izuru." Izuru panicked. "You better be able to defeat her within a week. Then you fight me again." He walked off. "I'm gonna go spar with Soi Fon."

SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS

"Kotetsu-fukutaicho, may I come in?" Hanatarou peeked through the door of his captain's office.

"Of course." He allowed him in without looking up from the desk. Hanatarou walked up to the desk before she finally looked up. "Hello Hanatarou, please sit. It's always good to have company nowadays. It's so hard having to fill in for the captain's position."

Hanatarou sat. "Kotetsu-fuku-"

"Please please, it's Isane."

"Isane, I'm worried about Rukia. She hasn't left the room Ichigo's body once. She hasn't eaten, or slept in a week. It pains me to see her like this."

Isane leaned back in her chair. "Well short of sedating her and hooking her up to an IV, I don't know what we could do. She refuses to even talk if somebody goes in there, and last time we sent someone, she used Bakudo 1 on him."

"That's why I'm here. I think it would really help if her human friends came to talk to her. They've been training heavily ever since they paid their respects."

Isane leaned forward. "Good idea. Why didn't I think of that? Well anyway, get her friends as soon as you can."

Hanatarou stood up. "Yes Isane." He turned and ran out the door.

Isane waited till he couldn't hear his footsteps. When she heard silence she sighed and rested on her desk. "How does Unohana-soutaicho handle this?"

SQUAD FIVE BARRACKS

Momo slowly peeked into her captain's office. Even though he had been captain for almost eight years, she was still scared of him despite his kind personality.

"You can come in." Gorou said.

Momo jumped as her captain spoke, making her drop her papers over the floor. As she panicked to pick them up, Gorou spoke.

"No need to be so jumpy." Hinamori finally picked up the papers and walked in. She saw her captain sitting in the center of the room with his back towards her, his legs crossed, and his eyes closed. He had brown hair that he let hang above his shoulders, was of average height, and had a thin build. He lifted his hand and motioned toward her. "You can put them on the desk."

"Yes, Hayato-taicho." She did as he said and turned to leave.

He opened his eye and looked at her leaving. "You don't need to be in such a hurry." He turned his head to look at her. "Come join me, please." He patted the floor to his left. Momo slowly walked over and sat down. She felt awkward as he continued to sit for a few minutes. Momo once again flinched as he spoke. "Is there anything that you need?"

"No, sir." Gorou sighed. He looked at Hinamori, revealing his right side. His eye was faded and a large crescent shaped scar was etched in his skin to the left of his eye. The sight of it always scared Hinamori.

"I know it must be hard having the captain you loved betray you. But, I would rather die than betray Soul Society, so please, if there is anything you need, don't be afraid to ask." He stood up. "You are free to leave. I just wanted you to know that; as your captain I will lay my life on the line for you and the squad." He smiled slightly.

Momo stood up. "Thank you, Taicho."

SQUAD SIX BARRACKS

"Hikotsu Taihou!" Renji launched the massive snake at Byakuya from above. Byakuya quickly formed a shield above him with Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, which effortlessly blocked the blast, however, several pieces of Hihio Zabimaru flanked Byakuya and launched themselves at him. He only dodged due to his proficiency with Shunpo.

Byakuya reappeared some distance away, and Renji reassembled his Bankai. Both men were breathing heavily. Byakuya reformed his sword. "We shall continue tomorrow. Get your wounds healed and help some other people train."

"Yes, Taicho." Renji dissipated his Bankai and limped to the barracks.

SQUAD SEVEN BARRACKS

Iba was training several seated officers in preparation for the upcoming battle. He pushed them as hard as he could, stopping only to heal injuries. "Iba-fukutaicho, where is Komamura-taicho?"

"He is in his personal weight room; I'm surprised he needs one. His strength is monstrous as it is."

"My strength still has room to grow." Iba turned to his captain, who was walking off.

"Where are you going, Captain?"

"I need to train, too. I've heard Kenpachi still wants to fight me." He chuckled. "Never thought I would fight him willingly."

SQUAD EIGHT BARRACKS

"Kyoraku-Taicho! Kyoraku-taicho! Where are you?" Nanao searched around the barracks for her captain, ready to scold him for not doing his work. She finally found him behind the barracks training with Juushiro.  
"Hello Nanao." Shunsui blocked Juushiro's strike, then called for a break. "What brings you out here?"

"Well there was a bunch of paperwork that you needed to sign, but I suppose it can wait."

"Thanks Nanao-chan. I'll take care of it when I get back." He turned around, and readied himself for another round.

SQUAD NINE BARRACKS

Hisagi walked past all of his subordinates, examining their training style, watching them spar. He sighed heavily. He knew this battle would cause a lot of casualties; all he could do was hope that he trained his men well enough. He walked on; stopping every once in a while to help someone.

SQUAD TEN BARRACKS

"Matsumoto, a little help, please." Rangiku was sitting on the couch in her captain's office, when she saw Hitsugaya walk in while leaning on his sword for support.

"Taicho," She ran over to him. "Are you ok?" She put Toshiro down on the couch.

"I finally did it Matsumoto, I got rid of the petals."

"What petals?"

"The ones in my Bankai. Matsumoto, you can go home early, I need to rest."

"Yes, Taicho."

SQUAD ELEVEN BARRACKS

"Someone get Unohana over here before Zaraki kills the entire squad!" Ikkaku yelled. He knew that Kenpachi wouldn't be able to wait a month. "Grow, Hozukimaru." Ikkaku formed his spear, and did his best to stop Zaraki.

SQUAD TWELVE BARRACKS

"Mayuri-sama, shouldn't we be preparing for the battle?" Nemu approached her father. "We have finished the fake Karakura town after all."

"Nemu, you imbecile, you know that I don't care about the problems of Soul Society." He didn't even look away from the massive computer screen.

"But sir, there could be interesting specimens. If these Espada were able to defeat Kurosaki, then they must be exceptionally strong."

Mayuri stopped typing and turned around. "Of course, Nemu, why didn't I think of that?" He got up. "Come Nemu, we have equipment to prepare."

SQUAD THIRTEEN BARRACKS

"Ukitake-Taicho, Ukitake-Taicho, where are you! Don't make me worry about you!"

"What are you talking about? I'm more worried about you than she is!"

"Yeah right you jerk!"

"What did call me, shrimp?"

"Oh, that's it." Kiyone pounced on Sentaro. The continued fighting until a squad member who heard them appeared.

"He's training with Kyoraku-Taicho! Please stop destroying the walls! I'm the one who always cleans up after you two!"

KARAKURA TOWN

Isshin sat on the couch reading the newspaper. 'Man, it sure is lonely without the girls and Ichigo around.' He heard the doorbell ring. He looked through the hole, and put on his signature grin when he saw his green and white stripes. He swung the door open. "Hey Kisuke, how've ya been." Isshin stopped when he saw his friend's mood. He grew serious. "What's the matter?"

Urahara took of his hat and placed it on his chest. "I'm sorry that I have to tell you this." Isshin fell to his knees when Urahara told him what happened. "I'm sorry, we tried to save him." Urahara felt badly that he couldn't do anything.

SQUAD FOUR BARRACKS

Rukia remained in front of Ichigo's body. She had run out of tears long ago, but her heart would never heal. She sensed several people behind her but she paid them no mind.

Sado, Inoue, and Uryuu walked in. Uryuu knelt next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Rukia, you aren't making it easy for Ichigo, you know." Rukia didn't even glance at them. "Think about what Ichigo would say if he could see you like this." He pushed his glasses up. "It's hard on all of us. But, Ichigo would never forgive you if you stayed here forever."

Orihime walked up. "He'd say something like, 'don't just sit there. Do something about it.'"

Sado sat down beside Rukia. "I've known Ichigo a long time. He wouldn't want to see you like this." He placed his fist on his chest. "Ichigo is always with us here, no matter what life he's in."

Rukia allowed one last tear to fall. "You're right." She looked at her palms. "Look at me, I'm a mess…" She wrapped her arms over her stomach. She looked at Ichigo's body once more. In a voice low enough that only she could her she muttered. "I love you, Ichigo." She turned around and allowed her friends to guide her outside. None of them saw the sneer that graced Ichigo's lips.


	18. La Batalla Des Almas Comienza!

**Hola. It's me again. What'd you think happens next? Just a hint, you're probably wrong. Yes, I am indeed evil. I promise for real this time, this is the last chapter before the action starts.**

Rukia rushed through the moonlit halls of Seiretei. There were only five days left until the battle. Even the usually calm and collected captains such as Byakuya and Gorou were visibly worried. Everyone had been training as much as they could over the past month, and it showed. But she didn't have time to worry; she continued to look for a certain someone. Eventually, she made her way to the research division. She simply ran right up to it, and looked around. She noticed the recently built small hut with a sign that read _Urahara Shop_. Kisuke had built a replica of his beloved shop and connected it to the research division. Rukia approached the closed door and raised her hand to knock. Before her knuckles rapped on the door, however, it opened, and Kisuke peeked over his fan at Rukia.

In a serious tone, he said, "No Kuchiki-san."

She crossed her arms. "I haven't even asked anything, yet."

"I already know what you're here for. I will NOT allow you to use it." He closed the door, but Rukia put her foot in the way. She forced it back open.

"You have to! I was just a burden last time. I barely beat that last Espada, and nearly died in the process."

"It is far too dangerous. Even if I were to allow you to use it, Unohana-san isn't allowing any more training so that we are in prime condition to fight."

"That's why it has to be now! If I had come earlier, people would have wondered where I was training." She put her head down. "Besides…" A tear rolled down her cheek. "It's personal."

Kisuke seriously contemplated as they both stood there for several minutes. "Fine, I won't stop you." Rukia turned to walk away, but he stopped her. "You're aware of the danger, right?"

"Of course. But that doesn't matter to me."

"I'll be at Sokyoku Hill at noon tomorrow. Don't be late."

**FIVE DAYS LATER. IN FRONT OF THE OFFICIAL SENKAIMON**

There were fourteen lines in front of the gate. One for each division, and each line was led by their respective captain and lieutenant, and only a select few seated officers had been elected to come. Everyon but the Eleventh division was worried. The final line was the allies of the Gotei: Uryuu, Orihime, Chad, Urahara, Yoruichi, and the Visoreds. Unohana paced back and forth, observing each line, deep in thought. After several tense moments, she turned to face everyone.

"This is the day we have all been training our hearts out for!" She put her arms behind her back and took a deep breath. "Ten years ago, the Fifth Division Captain, Aizen Sousuke, and his accomplices, Third Division Captain, Ichimaru Gin, and Ninth Division captain, Tosen Kaname, all defected from Soul Society. Using a powerful artifact known as the Hogyoku, he created an army of extremely powerful Arrancar, the ten strongest of which, were known as the Espada. It is the remnants of this army that we face today. Part of their plan involved the sacrifice of hundreds of souls in a town known as Karakura. Captain Kurostuchi of the Twelfth Division created a replica of the town, and switched it with the real one. 'The Fake Karakura Town' as it called, was the site of the battle with the last of the Espada. It is here that we shall fight. We will be fighting on historic grounds, with historic enemies. Today, we fight for survival. Today, we fight for peace. Today, we fight for those who gave their lives during the war, and today, we fight for Soul Society. Today, we fight for Ichigo Kurosaki; hero of the Winter War!" The entire Gotei was rallied up by the last lines. Unohana bowed her head. 'This won't be easy without Kurosaki.' But she hid her worries, to keep the _shinigami _morale up. She turned to face the gate, and signaled to have it opened. Slowly, but surely, the Gate opened up with a bright light. As soon as the door opened up enough to go through, Captain-Commander Unohana dashed through with the others right behind.

**FAKE KARAKURA TOWN**

Unohana stepped out of the Senkaimon a hundred feet above the city, which would soon become a war zone. Mayuri and Kisuke had worked non-stop to increase its size so that it covered the entire town, enough room for all the Espada. She allowed her eyes to adjust to the light. It was early in the morning, but the sun was already bright, as if it too, were anticipating the upcoming battle. Several other gates opened up around Unohana, each had two or three people step out of them. Yamamoto appeared by her side.

"About time you got here!"

All the _shinigami _looked across the town. All ten Espada were already there, some lay down on the air, others stood around anxiously, and others still, just stood there. Chiyoko stood up.

"We've been waiting awhile!"

Unohana maintained her composure. "I'm sorry if we inconvenienced you. But, I hope you understand the delays."

Although none of them could see it due to the distance between them, Chiyoko's normally red eyes became a dark grey. She drew her sword and started to lunge with a sadistic look on her face.

The woman who seemed to be leading them blocked Chiyoko. "No need to rush little one." Chiyoko's eyes turned red again to match her hair, but immediately became green with slit shaped pupils. She sheathed her sword, and stood up with a blank look on her face. The woman looked back, and within an instant all of the Arrancar were standing about ten feet away. The captains and lieutenants drew their swords by instinct.

She put up her hand. "Please calm down, we are not attacking yet, we merely wish to converse without being on the other side of the city."

Unohana sheathed her sword, and everyone else lowered theirs. Up close, everyone could see the womans features clearly. She wore a sleeveless top that exposed a large portion of her back. She wore long evening gloves that covered a lot of her arm. Her skirt swept over her legs, leaving one thigh exposed. It all gave the impression of an elegant dress. She had an average bust, and had brown hair that she kept up in a bun. Oddly her eyes were closed the entire time, her eyelids were painted black on the upper lid with a flourish that went up, and red on the other, with a trailing line that flourished down on her nose, oddly the makeup was reversed on her other eye. "First allow me to introduce myself." She began to unzip her left glove. "Reina Santiago." She exposed the back of her hand. "Primera Espada."

Unohana hid her shock. "Unohana Retsu, Captain of the First Division. Would you please tell me why you would reveal your rank so quickly?"

Reina zipped up her glove again. "Because I want this to be a fair fight. I am not trying to be arrogant, but I'd rather have someone strong come after me, so that my allies," She motioned to them, "won't be overpowered."

"A smart tactical move, you impress me, Reina-san."

A thin smile graced Reina's lips. "Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way, how about we begin?"

They all stepped back a few feet, each of them looked up and closed their eyes in concentration. On the other side of town, a black line drew itself across the length of the border where the fake town and the real world began. A massive garganta quickly opened. Nobody even tried to hide their surprise. Instead of the black void of nothing in a garganta, the dome of Las Noches could clearly be seen. Out of the collapsed walls, hundreds upon hundreds of figures poured out.

A man who was covered from head to toe in a white armor walked forward. His helmet had no semblance of a face. "This battle is to eliminate the fighting force of Soul Society. We cannot be bothered by the weak." He pointed toward the oncoming army. "If you aren't worthy of fighting us, then occupy yourselves with these weaklings."

Hisagi walked up beside Unohana. "Sotaicho, please allow me to take a task force to handle the horde."

Unohana brushed away a bead of sweat. "Yes, Captain Hisagi. Take anyone you need with the exception of the captains. We will need the majority of our force here."

Hisagi called forth the lieutenants that he could and they dashed toward Las Noches, ready to take on the mass of Arrancar.

"The amazing thing is that the ones that you just sent to fight them probably still won't be enough," Chiyoko spoke, this time, with amber eyes. "They may be weaklings, but they are all Arrancar with releases." She moved her hand as if she were pushing up glasses. "They have strength in numbers."

Unohana did her best to hide her worry. The battle hadn't even started, and they had already lost most of the lieutenants.

"I think we've waited long enough." A man with a silver mask and hair walked up. On the mask was a demon-like face with a large, sinister smile, and eyes that were narrowed to slits. "Everyone, take your pick."

Reina put her hands together. "One last thing; we are stronger than our predecessors, don't assume that someone with a low number is weak."

Unohana placed a hand on her sword; she prayed that her combat abilities hadn't decayed with time. "The last thing I would ever do is underestimate someone, it only leads to casualities." She looked back. "Everyone, this is it! Spread out!"

With those final words, everyone separated. Only Reina and Unohana remained.

"I'm glad I get to fight you, Unohana. You're probably the only female strong enough to fight me." Without warning, Reina dropped down to street level, leaving a crater where she stood. Unohana soon followed.

"It has been many years since I was on the frontlines. But, as my duty as the sotaicho, I will lead my men, and defeat you. I only wish that such bloodshed was unnecessary.

Reina laughed. "What an ironic choice of words - bloodshed." She crossed her arms in front of her with her hands pointing at Unohana. "Our battle will have more bloodshed than all the others combined."

**At last, the battle starts. Each chapter will focus on one battle, rather than switching between every once in a while. You also need to know that the following fights all happen at the same time.**


	19. La Horda Interminable

**Techniques and abilites are at the end of the chapter.**

"Reap, Kazeshini!" Hisagi released his _zanpakuto_ as he charged into Hueco Mundo. His team soon followed suit.

"Bite, Gonryoumaru!"

"Crush, Gegetsuburi!"

"Raise your head, Wabisuke!"

"Snap, Tobiume!"

"Howl, Zabimaru!"

"Extend, Hozukimaru!"

"Bloom, Fuji Kujaku!"

"Crush Down, Tengumaru!"

"Play, Kinshara!"

"Devastate, Kote o Kibaku!"

"Bind and blast, Akuma no Ken!"

Hisagi turned and saw the captain of Squad Three, Katsumi Saburo and his Third Seat Hikara Saburo. On Katsumi's arms were covered in two gauntlets of hardened metal, intricately engraved, with sharp claws and an odd rune on his palm. Hikara held her released Akuma No Ken that was a black, hollow pipe with four spikes on the cross guard.

"_Taicho_, what are you doing here?" Hisagi asked.

Katsumi shrugged his shoulders. "I figured that we'd be more useful here."

Gorou unsheathed his sword, which had a transparent green glow. "My _zanpakuto_ is better for group fighting."

Hisagi thought it over; they needed as many men as they could to fight the Espada. He gave a sigh. "All right, all right…this horde is massive. I assume you're prepared?"

"Ready as ever." Katsumi clawed the air.

"Yes, Hisagi-_taicho_." Hikara saluted.

"We will hold the line." Gorou raised his sword.

"Let's catch up." Hisagi dashed after the _Shinigami_ who had already clashed with the horde. As he neared, he threw his right blade and severed a large number of enemies in half with one swing.

* * *

Rose swung his whip in a large arc and circled it around a few dozen Arrancar. With a flick of his arm, he brought them all up into the air. "Kinshara Sonata Number One - Slam!"

Kinshara glowed a bright gold for a moment, before slamming into the ground with bone-shattering force.

Rose put a hand over his face. "How brute." He summoned his mask and then crushed several dozen arrancar with his melody attack; eviscerating them with the wire.

Love swung his large club and took out many Arrancar. "Damn, no matter how many we take out, they just keep coming!"

"Love, go for a home run."

Love turned and saw Rose flinging yet another large group toward him. Love jumped into the air, summoned his mask, and swung his weapon like an oversized bat. He hit them dead on and sent some of them flying while others just shattered.

"Ugh, is it just me, or do these guys 'explode' easily?"

"They're just weak. That one girl said that these are just random gillians and normal hollows. There are trying to divert a lot of our fighting force. Unfortunately, they did a good enough job that we have to fall for it." He held his whip above his head and swung it in a circle. "Kinshara Sonata Number Seven - Severing Sweep!"

He spun expertly on his foot and brought the whip down to waist level, bifurcating everyone in a ten foot radius.

* * *

Katsumi used _shunpo_ to appear right in front of an Arrancar. He grabbed her face with his left hand and impaled her chest with his right. Her hierro was useless against his gauntlets. He threw her aside as he spun and placed his palms on the chest of another Arrancar. Focusing his _reiastu_ into the gauntlets, his opponent's back burst open in a shower of blood. He continued to move on, clawing, and stabbing his way through hordes with proficiency that would rival Sui Feng's.

* * *

Hikara bashed in some poor Arrancar's skull then spun around and ran her _zanpakuto_ through another. She withdrew the blade, turned around, and pointed it at a large crowd.

"_Hadou_ Number 33: _Soukatsui_!" she called.

Rather than launching the blast out of her palm, the blue blast flowed through her blade and exited with twice the force and speed of a normal _Soukatsui _blast. Before she even had time to observe the damage, she barely dodged under a swipe from behind. She leaped into the air and faced them.

"_Bakudo_ Number 61: _Rikujokoro_!"

Hikara pointed her blade at them, and at least twenty enemies were pinned. She panted heavily. Using so much _kidou_ was straining, even though she had released her shikai.

She shook her head. _I'll keep going, I have to,_ she thought before charging at several more Arrancar.

* * *

Kira blocked another strike from an Arrancar. He pushed him back and slashed across his chest. He turned and _shunpoed_ past another crowd. Moments after he reappeared, all of them fell to their knees. Kira turned around and went for another dash, this time, with his sword poised at neck height. Once again, he appeared on the other side, this time, their heads rolled off their shoulders. Izuru took a few seconds to survey his surroundings. He saw several fire balls traveling across the field, as well as many arcs of severed enemies, but each was quickly taken up again by the horde. He noticed lightning striking down several times, and he'd mysteriously see large groups get cut to pieces in an instant. He put his guard up again, took a deep breath, and dove into the fray once again.

* * *

Ikkaku bashed in the skull of another bone soldier and stabbed another Arrancar in the chest. The entire time he had a grin on his face that rivaled Kenpachi's sinister sneer. He was having the time of his life. They may not be strong, but they had more than enough numbers to make up for it. It helped that he ran into the occasional Adjuchas. He continually smashed, stabbed, and swung his way through the onslaught of hollows. Yumichika followed closely behind, though he let his friend get most of them, but he still allowed himself to admire the expressions on his opponents' faces as he effortlessly slashed them. He ducked under a swinging sword, and then caught the wielder's arms in his blades before closing it. He recoiled in pain and Yumichika stabbed him through then opened his sword again.

The battle continued like this for many long hours. But their bodies were getting tired, and the Hollows and Arrancars just kept coming to no end. Even combat veterans like Ikkaku and Hisagi were forced to catch their breath. Hisagi once again cleared a large area of hollows, but once again, they were instantly replaced.

He whistled loudly and all of his allies appeared from _shunpo_ around him. "Any causalities?"

Everyone struggled to catch their breath, they were all beat to hell and barely standing. Even Ikkaku no longer had his trademark maniacal grin.

Gorou spoke up. "We've lost Third Seat Sasakibe, Omaeda-_fukutaicho_ is nowhere to be found, Hinamori-_fukutaicho_ has lost a lot of blood. Izuru has lost use of his left arm, Hikara as well, and other than exhaustion, everyone else is fine."

Hisagi dodged another strike and countered. "How is this possible? There is no way in hell that there are this many hollows in the world, we would've know." He barely dodged another strike and threw his scythe at a small group and yelled "Everyone, get in a circle! If you're wounded, get inside and tend to yourself as best as you can!"

Everyone did their best to holdout while the injured tried to bandage their wounds, but even with three _Taichos_ and two former _Taichos_, they were barely holding out. No matter how weak they were, they simply just kept returning. Izuru did the best he could to heal his allies, despite his limp arm. But, they quickly closed in, and when everyone was on the verge of collapsing, the attacks stopped. They all backed up and formed a large circle with plenty of room to maneuver.

"Well, well, look at these weaklings."

A large, shirtless man with bulging muscles appeared. He had long hair that he kept in a pony tail that ended at his waist. His hollow mask rested on his forehead like a pair of shades.

"I think I've been properly fed." He towered over everybody by at least ten feet and sneered as he observed the numerous bodies on the floor. "How many of these things do you think you've killed?"

Ikkaku pointed his spear at the large man. "I don't know about the other guys, but I've killed a few hundred. What's it to ya?"

The man's smile grew larger. "So a rough estimate is that you've at least killed a few thousand?"

"Bakudo Numer 63: Sajo Subaku!" Hikara jumped up and pinned the man with the golden ropes. He was forced to his knees. "Who the hell are you, and what if we have? It just means there is less in the way!"

He laughed. "This is great!" He looked at each of them. "Eleven good fighters. Suerte! This is going to be very fun." He broke the _kidou_ chains with little effort. "While trying to keep these guys off of you-" he motioned toward the surrounding Arrancar. "- you've signed your death certificates."

Hisagi pointed Kazeshini at him. "I don't know who you are, but if you are a foe, then I suggest you leave."

"Why the hell would I do that? This is going to be the time of my life!"

The man lifted his large fist and slammed down.

"SCATTER!" Hisagi ordered and jumped out of the way the resulting shockwave killed the arrancar that had been standing around them, giving them a large area of room. Hisagi covered his mouth and coughed violently because of the large amount of dirt that had been kicked up.

"Nice reaction time - for most of you anyway." He lifted up his hand and held a limp body. "So, who's this chick?"

It took a while for the dirt to settle and when it did, they all got a clear glimpse of who he was talking about. In his hand, held up like some sick trophy, was Momo.

"Bankai! Hihio Zabimaru!" Renji summoned the massive snake and launched it towards the Arrancar.

Izuru screamed. "Renji! Don't!"

But, Renji had already sent the giant snake at the Arrancar.

The man merely smirked. He carelessly tossed Momo to the side who was caught by Izuru. He cocked his right hand back. "This won't hurt me!"

When the snake was within striking distance, the man struck its head deep into the ground. "It is going to take a lot more than this to take down Akane Geurerro, the Novena Espada!"

Hisagi cursed under his breath. Normally, this guy wouldn't be a problem, especially since they had such a large group. But everybody was injured, exhausted, or both. He watched as Ikkaku dodged a punch and ran up Akane's arm ready to deliver a blow to his neck. Akane simply swung his arm and threw him away. Hisagi looked at Rose and nodded in understanding. Both men jumped into the air and launched their weapons at him. Akane caught Kazeshini in his right hand, and pulled it toward him, taking Hisagi with him; he did the same with Rose's Kinshara. The two _Shinigami _barely avoided clashing into each other, but they were still slammed into the ground. Akane watched his handy work, when a large shadow appeared over him. He looked up and saw Love bringing his massive club down on him. He had put his hollow mask back on.

"Hifuki no Kodzuchi!" Love's club became engulfed in fire, and he swung it down with incredible force, striking the Espada point blank. Akane was given no time to recover as Renji immediately blasted him with Hikotsu Taihou. He jumped out of the dust and pulled Renji's Bankai toward him. Renji was jerked forward and was met with a bone shattering punch.

"Ha ha ha, this is great! This is the most fun I've had in years!"

"Let's see how you feel about that when you're dead."

Akane turned around and saw Katsumi. Katsumi had his palms flat on Akane's lower back. Akane swung his fist, but found that he couldn't, he turned and saw Izuru with his sword tapping Akane's arms. He felt an intense pain as his stomach was turned to mush by Katsumi.

He collapsed to his knees. "How did you get past my hierro? No one else here has even scratched me."

Katsumi extended his arm out so that his eyes looked through his fingers. "Kote o Kibaku, works by sending in my _reiastu_ in a focused 'drill' that doesn't force through, but rather, flows through an opponent's skin. Once it's inside a few inches, it forces in a larger amount of _reiastu._ This all happens almost instantly, exploding inside my opponent's body. In other words, hierro is useless, and this fight is over."

"Like hell it is!"

Akane got up with speed that should have been impossible with such an injury, and knocked back Katsumi into the crowd of Arrancar. Turned around and blocked a strike from Hikara, leaving her to the same fate. Gorou dashed past Akane twice, before appearing a few feet in front of him with his sword held out to the side. Akane looked down and saw two glowing lines on each of his forearms.

"My _zanpakuto_ works on a similar principal to Katsumi's. It's made of very little _reiastu_, so it just flows through anything. It's incapable of cutting anything."

"Hah! What a useless sword."

"Just let me get in a few more strikes then."

Gorou dashed forward and marked Akane with several more lines across his chest. He appeared on the other side of Akane with his eyes closed, and his _zanpakuto_ at the edge of its sheath. "The best thing about my _zanpakuto_…" He slowly began to sheath his sword. "It can't be blocked." He opened his eyes. "Slice and dice, Kaijin no ken!"

A soft click was heard as the handle met the edge of the sheath. Each line glowed brightly, and in front of Akane, a ghostly samurai appeared before him. He punched it, but his fist merely went through it. In a flash, it struck all the points that Katsumi had marked. He fell to his knees as his right arm was cut in several places, his left was severed, and his chest burst with blood.

"H-how?" Akane gasped.

"Every time the sword passes through, it marks you with runes. When I release, the _reiastu_ left on the mark sharpens itself and travels through it, cutting you on the way. The samurai is just an illusion."

Akane chuckled to himself, and slowly escalated to an all-out laugh. "This is fun! This is great!" He gripped his sword with his left hand. "Massacre, Bestia Salvaje (Savage Beast)."

Hisagi snapped his eyes open and shot up. He winced in pain. He was sore everywhere, but no worse for wear. He looked around and noticed that all the bodies they had made started to dissipate; becoming nothing more than spirit particles. He got on his feet as fast as he could while ignoring the pain. He woke up Rose, and they limped toward the massive surge of _reiastu._

Akane's laughter became more and more maniacal. He ponytail flared out and began to wrap itself around his chest."You want to know the reason I'm able to fight you all at once?" His body became surrounded by blue _reiastu_. "It's because of my Resurrecίon. I absorb the essence of anyone killed around me. Regardless of their strength, when someone dies around me, I get stronger. In these few hours, you've killed thousands of hollows and Arrancar." His _reiastu_ grew so much that no one could see him. Before the _reiastu_ even dissipated, a bright blue cero blasted through it, catching Renji, Rose, Izuru and Hisagi in its path, as well as creating a small canyon where hundreds of Arrancar once stood.

The dark particles of the bodies flew toward Akane. "You've sealed your fate!"

A dark hand clawed through the wall of _reiastu_ and tore through it. Akane stood hunched over. He gained a much more animalistic appearance, and his wounds had healed, even his severed arm. He was covered head to toe in black fur, and he gained a muzzle, much like a canine. "Let the real battle begin."

**Kote o Kibaku (Detonating Gauntlets): Katsumi Saburo's Zanpakuto. It explodes the insides of an enemy by inserting a compressed orb of reiastu into the body, and then expands. Also works on inanimate objects, such as walls.**

**Kaiji no Ken: Gorou Hayato's Zanpakuto.(Phantom Cutter) It is incapable of cutting an enemy directly. It instead marks the enemy to be cut later. Gorou adapted to its drawbacks by using a fighting style that relies on speed and agility. He uses it to surprise an enemy when they can't block it. It is capable of piercing anything.**

**Akuma no Ken (Demon Sword): Hikara Saburo's Zanpakuto. The name if a reference to the fact that Kido translates as _demon arts_, or _demon way_. It amplifies her Kido many times, making Kido such as Byakurai, as strong as Soukatsui. It also helps conserve reiastu. Except for the handle, it is essentially a hollow metal pipe that the kido travels through. I know it's not techincally a sword, but the name sounds better.**

**Bestia Salvaje: Akane Geurerro's resurrecion. If he were to enter a 'fresh' battle field, he could be defeated by a lieutenant. But the more deaths there are, the stronger he becomes, hence why he waited so long to reveal himself. When he releases, he physically absorbs the bodies, and his reiastu increases exponentially.**


	20. Batalla de La Espada Septima

Rukia stood over the river, locking eyes with her opponent. Chiyoko stood on the top of the bridge as the wind whistled between them. Chiyoko put her hands on her waist and leaned back. Her eyes turned blue-grey. "Do we really have to fight?"

Rukia raised a confused eyebrow. "What are you talking about? If we didn't, we wouldn't all be here."

Chiyoko scratched the back of her head. "Yeah, but I don't really feel like it."

"You killed Ichigo, and you had the nerve to literally drop him off at our doorstep!" She drew her _zanpakuto_ and pointed it at her. "You helped kill the man I love, and you don't expect me to fight for him?"

Chiyoko sighed. "I guess not." She drew her sword. "Let's make this quick so I can sleep." She held her sword out horizontally in front of her, and placed her left palm on the flat of the blade. Her eyes changed back to her natural red. "Observe! Imitar!"

Chiyoko slid her hand along the blade, as it glowed white. The blade extended and curved back, the blade came from the hilt and did the same. When the transformation was done, it flashed brightly enough to blind Rukia. When the light died away Chiyoko held a large steel bow, the curve of it were three elegant blades, and the handle was the same dark red as her sword handle. Oddly, her appearance hadn't changed at all.

Rukia pointed her sword at Chiyoko. "You're already releasing? Do you really find me that strong? Dance, Sode no Shirayuki."

"I haven't released." Chiyoko stated matter-of-factly. "I'm the only Arrancar capable of 'half' releasing my resurrection." She put the bow in her left hand, and then drew a blue arrow in her right. "I saw you transform into a _Shinigami_ when I was in the human world, you aren't anywhere near strong enough to make me fully release." Chiyoko took a deep breath; she allowed her eyes to change to grey. "Now come on you worthless _Shinigami _bitch!"

The change in attitude surprised Rukia, allowing Chiyoko to appear behind her with Sonido. Although Rukia narrowly avoided being killed, an arrow still pierced her shoulder. Rukia flash stepped away, but Chiyoko easily followed and appeared right above her. Rukia blocked the strike. She noticed that Chiyoko now had one grey eye, and one light blue eye. Chiyoko placed her foot on Rukia's blade and pushed herself off. She performed a backflip midair and launched three arrows, when she faced Rukia.

"Hado Number 4: _Byakurai_!" Rukia pointed at the arrows and launched three consecutive bolts of lightning at the projectiles.

Chiyoko didn't even allow Rukia to take a breath as she appeared behind her. Rukia was crippled with pain as she felt three blades tear across her back. Chiyoko repelled back and launched another volley of three arrows. Rukia once again countered with Byakurai. Rukia looked behind her when she heard the familiar sound of Sonido. Chiyoko stood below her with a large arrow charged up. Unlike Chiyoko's other arrows, this one was red.

"Take this bitch!" She released the arrow at Rukia and in struck her square in the back, Rukia gasped in pain as she saw the arrow go through her chest. Chiyoko immediately appeared in front Rukia, and tried to bring her bow down on Rukia's neck. To Rukia's own surprise, she blocked the strike and jumped away from Chiyoko. She patted her chest and noticed the she didn't feel any pain from the arrow.

"What the-"

"Confused? Look at it now." Rukia did so and saw an odd symbol on her chest. It was a single of pharaoh's eye that was currently closed. "I marked you. I'd be careful if I were you." Chiyoko once again drew an arrow, but this one was thinner. "This one won't do as much damage as the other ones, but let's see if you can dodge it."

She aimed at Rukia and released. The shot fired went so fast that it appeared as one solid line. Rukia leaped to the right, but the arrow still graced her cheek.

"I'll have you to know that I'm stronger than I look, Chiyoko. I've defeated an Espada before."

Chiyoko had a confused look on her face. Her eyes turned amber. Then she chuckled. "Oh, right, I forgot that I never introduced myself to you. I'm the Septima Espada. Shin told us about the last war. If I remember correctly, you only succeeded in defeating the ninth."

She blinked only to be greeted by a wall of white snow. She didn't have time to jump out of the way and was swallowed up by Rukia's avalanche. She tumbled down to the river, which froze when it came in contact with the snow. Rukia hopped down to the pile of snow, and Chiyoko's head popped out. She spit out a fountain of snow before crawling out and coughing. She began to shiver and her eyes went back to red. When she hugged her shoulders, she felt the cold steel of Rukia's blade pressed against her neck.

"You did say that you wanted to end this quickly." Rukia grabbed Chiyoko with her free hand.

Chiyoko examined the blade and watched a drop of her blood run down to the tip. "Up close, you can really see the beauty of this sword, it really is worthy of its title." Her eyes became aqua green. "I can't wait to make it mine." Her face twisted in to a sadistic sneer. "Just look at that mark I gave you.

Rukia looked down at the symbol on her chest, and noticed that it had opened up. "What the hell? What is this thing anyway? You shot me before I could ask last time."

"You'll find out soon enough."

Chiyoko grabbed Rukia's sword arm, and placed one foot in front of her, and locked her other foot on Rukia's ankle. Quickly, she dove forward with Rukia still on her back. She expertly twisted in the air and sat on top of Rukia, pinning her. She knocked Rukia's sword somewhere into the snow.

She poked Rukia's chest and stared at her with her red eyes. "Oh, looks like I actually won't need to use it." Her fingers 'walked' up Rukia's chest and toward her face with her hand.

"Hado Number 33: _Soukatsui_!" Rukia blasted her opponent point blank in the face. Chiyoko simply batted away the smoke in her face.

"It's gonna take a lot more than that to kill me." She leaned forward so that her nose almost touched Rukia's. "Now where were we?"

"You were just about to stand still while I froze you," Rukia half joked.

Chiyoko straightened up and placed her finger on Rukia's nose. "Nice try, but I remember now. I was about to kill you."

She began to gather her _reiatsu_ at her finger tip. Despite the danger she was in, Rukia noticed the odd coloring of the cero. The orb itself was multicolored, just like the bands of energy that came off of the cero. Some were golden, some were green, there were plenty of reds, and a few pink ones. If it wasn't for the fact that the light was a cero pointed at her face, Rukia would have been mesmerized by its unusual beauty.

"Sorry, but Ichigo would never forgive me if I died while fighting for him."

Rukia grabbed Chiyoko's arm with her left hand, and placed her right arm flat against the snow. The snow under them glowed in a bright circle. Rukia used Chiyoko's surprise to her advantage and kneed her in the back, halting the cero and knocking Chiyoko off of her. Rukia quickly dashed out of the circle. The moment she did, a pillar of ice was created that grazed the sky.

Rukia took a moment to catch her breath before turning to the figure trapped in the ice. Chiyoko could be seen in the middle of cursing at Rukia. She walked over to her _zanpakuto_ that Chiyoko had thrown to the side earlier. She picked it up and walked back. She stood in front of the pillar. She sighed as she positioned herself in her battle stance with her arm across her chest. "This is for you Ichigo."

She swung her sword, and the pillar of ice came crashing down. She watched, as each piece of ice slowly floated down to the river in the form of snow. She began to sheath her sword. She allowed a tear to flow down her cheek. "Thank you for giving me strength; Ichigo."

"Damn you!" Rukia was surprised as a hand shot out of the snow and grabbed her throat. Chiyoko popped out of the snow with her face right in front of Rukia's. Her right eye was grey, and her left eye was light blue. Her clothes were torn from the ice that had fallen on her. Her right boot was torn down to her knee, exposing her rank, and her left boot was missing altogether, both of her sleeves were now missing. Her stomach was exposed, revealing her hollow hole, and a large scar that ran across it. "You little bitch! You think you can defeat me! I'll admit I was surprised that you pulled of the attack without your sword! I won't question it though, because it won't matter soon!"

Rukia desperately gasped for air.

"Shut it!" Chiyoko impaled Rukia's stomach with her hand in the same place as her hollow hole.

Rukia grew silent.

"So, you fight for that carrot topped fool! News flash for you, he's dead! No one can give you strength from the dead unless you absorb them! When you fight me, you are the only one fighting me, don't give me that crap about your little Ichigo giving you strength!" She threw Rukia back. "In fact, you'll get to see for yourself when he comes to…"

"Chiyoko, shut it." Issanni appeared behind Chiyoko with his hand on her shoulder. "You know we aren't supposed to say anything about that." He kneeled down to her height. "I hate having to kneel down to your height."

That earned him a punch to the face that knocked him down courtesy of Chiyoko. "I'm not short, you're just tall." She said defensively. Her eyes returned to their natural red.

Issanni held his now bloody nose. "Sorry, didn't mean to hurt your feelings." He said sarcastically. He wiped away the blood. "Back to business; you know you aren't supposed to talk about our plans."

"Stop treating me like a kid." Chiyoko crossed her arms. "I do know that, but I was caught up in the moment."

"It's kinda hard not to treat you like that when you made me pretend to date when we were in the human world."

"Yeah yeah, I know. What are you doing here anyway? Don't you have a battle to get to?"

"I excused myself for a moment. I can tell when you're about to do something bad. It's how I'm always around when you prank Shin."

"Leave already! You already stopped me and I can handle myself!"

"Touchy." Issanni put his hands up defensively. "I have to get back to the fight anyway." He stood up. "Don't die Chiyo-chan."

"I told you not to call me that anymore!"

"Why do you think I do it?" He gave Chiyoko a quick kiss on the cheek and ran off before she had a chance to punch him. She put her hand in front of her face and blushed.

"How touching."

Chiyoko quickly hid her blush and looked at Rukia.

The latter was standing with her _zanpakuto_ pointed at Chiyoko. She had torn off her sleeve and made a crude bandage for her stomach, thankfully the wound wasn't very deep. "You have no right to berate me for fighting for Ichigo when I can see how you and Issanni are."

Chiyoko's face grew as red as her hair. "It's not like that," she denied but to no avail. Rukia wasn't buying it.

"Sure it is. Now would you please tell me what that was about Ichigo?" Rukia's eyes filled with fire when she asked.

"Sorry, I can't. I only said that because Nnoitra and Grimmjow are idiots."

Rukia raised her eyebrow in confusion. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"I'd explain it, but there's no point…" She summoned her bow to her hand. "…because I'm afraid you won't be alive much longer." She pointed at the eye on Rukia's chest. "See that mark? It's open."

Rukia looked down and saw that the eye was indeed open fully open, revealing a red pupil.

"My Imitar has finished observing…" She held her bow upside down in front of her. "… and now, it's going to report!" She began to spin her blade counter clockwise. "Dance, Imitar." When she finished rotating it, Chiyoko held a pure white katana with a white ribbon on the grip. Rukia's eyes widened. The symbol on her chest flashed yellow, then disappeared.

"How?" Rukia asked in shock.

"Do I really need to explain? I figured it was pretty obvious." Chiyoko began to stab the ground. Imitar means 'to mimic.' "You should be able to figure out the rest from there." When she finished talking, four streams of snow slowed from the ground. "Proxima Baile, Luna Blanca!" The four streams grew in strength and launched forward with incredible force and speed.

Rukia held her sword out and yelled. "Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!"

Four bursts of ice built in front of her forming an arc, without Rukia stabbing the ground. With a mere thought, a burst of snow came from the tip of her sword; quickly countering her mimicked counterpart. "You may have Sode no Shirayuki, but you don't have my experience in wielding her." She bent her knees and placed her sword next to her shoulder. "This is how you use the most beautiful _zanpakuto_ in Soul Society."

Rukia wordlessly swung her sword horizontally. Chiyoko only realized what happened when she felt her feet freezing; she looked down and saw a bright circle on the ground. She quickly jumped out of the way, just barely, and landed on the wall of the bridge. But Rukia swung her sword again, and a circle appeared on the wall where Chiyoko hung.

_Shit, not again, _Chiyoko thought.

She couldn't move fast enough and was once again engulfed in ice. Rukia jumped up and stood on her beam of ice. "You were right; I wouldn't have stood a chance against you. But that was ten years ago. Ten years of experience is worth a lot more than you think. You shouldn't have given us that month to train. If you had assaulted us right after you kidnapped Ichigo, you may have won. I'm not sure if you can hear me Chiyoko; but if you can…"

Rukia didn't finish her sentence, as she had to jump out of the way to avoid another multicolored cero.

She stood in the air with her face down and she was breathing heavily. Her clothes were torn again, and her shirt was barely holding together. "I do know how much ten years of experience is worth." She grabbed her shirt and adjusted it as best as she could so that her breasts didn't hang out. "All of us Espada are former weaklings; we've been training for the past ten years specifically for this battle."

She swung her sword and summoned a circle under Rukia's feet; while she was surprised Rukia easily dodged it.

"We aren't idiots. We gave you that month for a reason. In moments, _he_ will mature fully, and he will obliterate Soul Society. Chiyoko swung her sword and returned it to her bow form. "I've already shown you my release. Mimicking you is all I could do when I was a hollow. Even when I became an Arrancar, it was all I could do." She looked up at Rukia. "I was defenseless. But now, I have much more power. Thanks to my friends, and I'm not talking about heart, because I have real combat power. I don't know if you know this, Rukia, but female hollows are a rarity. We are almost always killed by the males simply because they are usually stronger, but I survived…"

_

* * *

_

A small bird like hollow was running away from several large ones intent on making it their next meal. One of her wings was bent horribly. "

I don't want to die, I don't want to die, please, I don't want to die!"

_I kept thinking that to myself. I was pretty weak for an Adjuchas. I would have died that day if fate hadn't let me run by a certain hollow._

_I continued to run, and there seemed to be no hiding place in sight. I quickly began to tire out and I finally spotted a large rock and ran toward it, but I was so tired and the hollows were growing ever near me__. I began to accept that I was going to die as I ra__n out of energy._ _I had given up._ I_ looked back toward my predators that were closing in on me. I closed my eyes, and prayed for a quick death. Suddenly, I felt a massive gust of wind rush past me. Nothing happened for several moments and I opened one eye only to be blinded by the dirt that had been kicked up from the wind I had felt. I groped around, trying to find my way out of the sudden dust storm. Then I stumbled toward a ledge and fell as I found the moonlight. I looked up and saw a human sized hollow staring down at me. The hollow had a thin build with legs that looked no bigger than bones and a tail. It was covered from head to tail in the white material that made up a hollow mask. He reached a welcoming hand toward me._

_"Are you okay?" _

_I didn't know what to do, so I hid my face with my wings._

_That was when I met him - Issanni. He had the one thing that nearly all hollow lacked: compassion. In Hueco Mundo, all compassion does is get you killed. He saw me running away, and killed all my predators to save me._

_He spoke to me gently. "I'm not going to eat you. What's your name?"_

_I peeked out from under my wing. "Ch-Chiyoko Rodriguez," I stuttered._

_"I'm Issanni Lanzar. Pleased to meet you." _

_I cautiously put my wing into Issanni's welcoming hand. I wasn't yet sure whether I should trust him._

_"Let's go get that wing of yours fixed," he said with a welcoming grin that would eventually become familiar to me._

_From that day forward, Issanni protected me as though I were his younger sister, no matter the cost. I always wondered why he helped an insignificant hollow like me. A few decades later, he had made me stronger so that I could defend myself. He said I could leave if I wanted to, but for some reason, I chose to stay with him. Pretty soon after that, we were approached by a Shinigami with glasses. He introduced himself as Sousuke Aizen."_

_Aizen held his hand out to Issanni who sat down on a sand dune. "Have you considered my offer?" Aizen asked._

_"I've already told you no. I'm fine with being an Adjuchas." Issanni laid down, with his hands under his head_.

_"But times are changing, hollow are getting stronger, and you won't always be able to protect your dear friend over there."_

_Aizen-sama looked at me, and even though I was young, I could tell that man was not as kind as he appeared._

_Issanni shot up and stared at me, and I drew my knees in close to my chest. _

_"One condition."_

_"What is it, Issanni-san?"_

_"She comes with me." _

_I was surprised at this._

_"Of course." Aizen held out his hand once more, which Issanni grabbed. "Welcome, my new Arrancar."_

_We lived our life as Arrancar for the next several decades. Then he enacted his plan to betray Soul Society and create that fancy key. We all had no doubt in our minds back then that he would win, but look how that turned out. Soon after his loss, a plan was put in motion by those who survived the Winter War to crush Soul Society. The first thing they did was create new Espada. Issanni and Shin, whom we had befriended, were one of the first to be appointed to Espada. Naturally, Issanni made me one of his fraccion, but I wanted to stand by him as an equal instead of someone he had to protect._

_Chiyoko walked up to Shin in his lab. He was gently prodding his tongue as he waited for his 5 tattoo to heal. _

_"Shin, I want to be stronger." _

_The scientist jumped at the sound of Chiyoko's voice which made him bite his tongue and hop around in pain. Chiyoko was unusually serious, for normally she would have laughed at such a scene. Once Shin finally got over the pain and sat down in his chair he leaned on his arms. _

_"One, that never happened…" He pointed at Chiyoko. "... and two, why do you need to be stronger?"_

_"Issanni's always been protecting me, I feel that's it's about time that I stood by him." She placed a hand on her chest._

_Shin leaned back and closed his eyes in thought. "I may be able to do something. It'd be something only you would be able to do, because of your Imitar." He pointed at her __zanpakuto__ and turned toward his computer. "Unfortunately, I won't. It's too dangerous, not to mention Issanni would kill me if I ever hurt you." He started to type some random words into his computer._

_"Please, Shin! I'm tired of being a burden to him!"_

_He turned around in his chair once more. "You are anything but a burden to him." He stood up and placed his hands on Chiyoko's shoulders. "He sees you as a little sister."_

_Chiyoko thought about it. "That doesn't change the fact that I want to be with him."_

_Shin sighed. "Fine…" He turned and looked at his computer screens, which made no sense to Chiyoko. "…but be ready to go out tomorrow. We are going to need to collect some samples for what I have in mind."_

_Early the next day we traveled around Las Noches. Our first stop was Aaroniero Arruruerie's palace. You may remember him. He was the Espada you defeated ten years ago. I didn't understand it at the time, but he used a lot of equipment that he made me carry, and scanned the room for reiatsu samples and pieces of him and Zommari Rureaux. That disturbed me. We moved on and did the same at Szayel's lab, and then we moved on the tower where Ulquiorra almost killed Ichigo and where Ichigo fought Grimmjow. The floor below that was where we searched for Nnoitra Gilga's remains. We traveled to the roof of Las Noches and somehow followed the wind patterns and found Ulquiorra's dust. Then we sneaked into the Fake Karukura Town and got samples of the three Espada killed there. There was nothing left of Barragon since he was aged to nothing. On our way back, we searched for Yammy. This all happened over the course of several months, without Issanni knowing. As he prepared his fancy machine, he finally told me what he was going to do._

_"Your abilities make you the only one who could survive this, hence why I never even bothered to get the samples before now." Shin flipped many switches everywhere, and read the data of his screens, none of which made sense to me. "This is extremely dangerous. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"_

_"I didn't carry a few hundred pounds of equipment for nothing." I half joked._

_Shin chuckled. "Alright please step in the chamber, Rodriguez-san." _

_I hesitated at first, but I built up my resolve and stepped in. Shin placed my zanpakuto in a chamber right next to his, and closed the doors where many odd arms and claws grabbed me. _

_"I'm administering a shot of painkillers." _

_Shin pulled a large switch, and the machine came to life. A monitor flashed the faces of Aaroniero, Szayel, Zommari, Nnoitra, Ulquiorra, Harribel, Starrk, and Yammy. I was submerged in a clear liquid and suspended; most of my clothing was removed. It was embarrassing but I didn't have time to think about that as a thick green liquid ran through the claws and into my blood. The moment it entered my bloodstream, I was racked with excruciating pain, even with the painkillers. I screamed, despite Shin's attempts to stop. Issanni must have heard me because he appeared in an instant._

_"Chiyoko, where are you?" _

_He saw me in the tank and I watched as he moved to smash it._

_"Stop! If you open it, you could kill her!" Shin yelled putting his arms in front of Issanni to restrain him._

_Issanni punched Shin in the face, which, amplified by his speed, sent him crashing into his chair, and into his computers. "If Chiyoko is hurt in any way by your sick experiments, I will kill you!"_

_Shin cowered in fear; he had never seen his laid back friend like this. "She wanted to do this!"_

_Shin put up his hands defensively as Issanni rounded on him. Lights on the machine began to flash wildly causing Issanni to stop in his tracks. _

_He cast an alarmed look in my direction. "What's going on?"_

_"Get your hand off my throat, and I can find out!" Shin struggled to say. _

_Issanni let him go and looked at the tank. Shin frantically flipped switches. "Neural functions off the charts…pain levels in the red… She'll definitely live, but she could be hurt."_

_Issanni's panicked look became one of concern. "Come on, Chiyoko, you can do this." _

_The machine continued for about five more minutes. To me, that five minutes felt like an eternity, but eventually, I stopped screaming and the pain suddenly left me. The lights of the machine all flashed green, and the liquid drained out of the tank and opened. Issanni caught me as I fell out of the chamber. _

_"Chiyoko, wake up, wake up!" He patted my face but I was too weak and exhausted to respond._

_"Five more minutes," I weakly said. _

_I stubbornly swatted away Issanni's hands. He smiled at me and Shin silently smiled, glad that Issanni hadn't already killed him._

_

* * *

_

"I went through all that for one reason, so I wouldn't have to have Issanni protect me anymore. I'm explaining all this to you because this is the reason I have my powers now." She held her sword in front of her. "I had Shin modify me. I changed my last name since it fit with my new abilities. You may have noticed my eyes changing color every once in a while. That's a side effect of this power. I have multiple personalities." She held out her sword. "Observe and Report, Imitar!"

There was a flash of white light and Rukia was blinded.

"The powers of the fallen flow through me," several voices stated at once. "I can kill you without this. But everyone inside me wants to crush you with all I've got." A vortex of multicolored _reiatsu_ surrounded Chiyoko. "Fighting me is the same as fighting all of the previous Espada."

Rukia sighed. "I was really hoping I wouldn't have to use this." She lifted her sword, and her white _reiatsu_ began to increase rapidly as she began to rotate Sode no Shirayuki. _"Bankai…"_

**Imitar: Chiyoko's resureccion. It's original version is rather simple, she marks an opponent with a tracker arrow, and the more they use their **_**zanpakuto**_**, the faster the eye opens, although it will open up eventually, even if they haven't released. Thanks to an experiment by Shin, she has the power of all the previous Espada, not including Barragan, since he was aged to nothing.**

**Sode no Shirayuki: She was able to use her abilities in the same manner as her **_**zanpakuto**_** spirit, because she obtained Bankai.**


	21. Batalla Del Rayo

**Just in case you don't know, Sui-feng is the recently corrected spelling of Soifon. Don't worry, it's pronounced the same.**

Rather than pairing up for a battle, Issanni decided that he should just sprint around and see if anyone came for him. He started jumping from building to building in hopes that someone would even see him. He didn't have to wait long. After only five minutes, he glanced over his shoulder and saw an orange flash as well as a white one. He turned around fully with his hands in his pockets and continued running backwards.

"So," he began, "may I ask who this person is that can keep up with me?"

"Shihoin Yoruichi," she responded, "former _taicho_ of the Second Division."

"Sui-feng, current _taicho_ of the Second Division," the other female responded.

Issanni put his finger on his chin and thought for a moment. "Second Squad…isn't that the one with ninjas?"

Yoruichi struggled to suppress a laugh. "It's the _Onmitsukido_," she corrected.

"Same difference." Issanni jumped to the right to avoid a building, without ever turning his back on them. "So, we just gonna run around all day?"

Sui-feng ran forward. "Take your time; you won't stand a chance against me and Yoruichi-_sama_!"

Issanni sighed. "That's certainly an arrogant statement."

"It's the truth."

Sui-feng disappeared with a burst of _Shunpo_. She appeared behind Issanni and was already swinging her foot at his head. Issanni casually ducked down and avoided the strike, to Sui-feng's surprise. As her foot passed him, Issanni reached up and grabbed her ankle. He spun on his feet and threw Sui-feng at Yoruichi. They barely avoided colliding with each other, and Sui-feng was left behind as she regained her footing.

"I don't like her; she seems like she has a pole up her ass," Issanni noted.

"That wasn't nice," Yoruichi grinned.

"It's the truth," he quoted playfully.

"I don't believe you ever introduced yourself."

"Issanni Lanzar, at your service." He took a moment to bow at her.

Yoruichi chuckled. "I can see why you don't like my protégé. You're the exact opposite of her."

"Really?"

"Yup…" Yoruichi sighed, "…but I'd rather not play tag all day."

Yoruichi shunpoed forward and aimed a punch straight at Issanni's face. He sidestepped the strike and touched her shoulder.

"It's your turn anyway." Issanni jumped back and ran away with his signature grin on his face.

"This is going to take a while."

Yoruichi dashed after him. Sui-feng rejoined her soon after.

"Yoruichi-_sama_, did I miss something?"

"I somehow got us into a game of tag," Yoruichi replied.

"You'll never win if you don't try!" Issanni playfully called back.

"This ought to be fun," Sui-feng remarked sarcastically as she rolled her eyes and dashed forward.

"Wait, Sui-feng!" Yoruichi called out to her.

"What is it, Yoruichi-_sama_?"

"I'm pretty sure this guy is just messing with us; and I'm not just talking about this game. Didn't you notice how casually he ducked under your kick?"

Sui-feng thought back. Now that she thought about, he hadn't even taken his hands out of his pockets, other than to grab her leg. "I don't see your point Yoruichi-_sama_."

"This guy is a lot stronger, if not faster, than he's letting on. Be careful Sui-feng."

"Of course Yoruichi-_sama_." Sui-feng ran ahead once more.

"One more thing Sui-feng."

"What is it?"

"Let's play along with him for a while, see if we can't get anything out of him."

"Of course, why didn't I think of that?"

"You're just pissed off that he managed to throw you," Yoruichi commented, smirking.

"Am not!" she denied.

"Man you guys are slow!" Issanni called back once more. "You'll never catch me at this rate."

Yoruichi shunpoed forward and tapped Issanni's arm. "Tag, you're it!" She grinned before slipping into shunpo again with Issanni on her tail.

Sui-feng put her hand over her face_. Why do I have to play such childish games?_

She dashed forward and joined Yoruichi. Yoruichi dove between a pair of towers and jumped back and forth on the way down to the street. Issanni followed her route. As soon as they reached the streets below, Yoruichi and Sui-feng went opposite ways.

"Ooh, tricky." Issanni grinned.

He took a left and followed Sui-feng. He used quickly dashed forward and appeared right in front of her. He quickly tapped her cheek, and disappeared. Sui-feng threw a hand back to block him, but he had already disappeared.

"Enough games!" She unsheathed her _zanpakuto_ and gripped her wrist. "Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!"

"Why are you so riled up?"

Issanni saw Sui-feng come after him and try to jab at his neck. Issanni merely moved his head to the side to avoid the strike. Sui-feng drew back and stabbed again and continued in this manner over and over again at rapid speed. Issanni casually dodged all of them whilst still keeping his hands in his pockets.

"I have better things to do other than fight you."

_How is he dodging my strikes?_ Sui-feng thought. _He shouldn't even be able to see them coming._

"Like ogling at your dear Yoruichi-_sama_?"

The comment infuriated her and made Sui-feng strike faster. They continued on like this for what seemed an eternity.

"You're really slow; you know that?" Issanni grabbed her arm as it flew by him.

Sui-feng withdrew her hand and jumped back."I'll admit you aren't as weak as I said you were. But that doesn't change the fact that you are going to lose to the Gotei 13!"

"Yeah, I'm stronger than I look you know." Issanni waved. "Adios." Once again he began to run. Sui-feng ran after him. They started zigzagging through the streets and the air. Issanni turned around but kept running. "I wonder where that other chick went."

"Don't call Yoruichi-_sama _a chick! Show some respect!"

Sui-feng dove at his chest, but Issanni batted away her hand and continued to run. He jumped between two skyscrapers and darted to the right. Sui-feng rounded the corner at full speed, only to be met by a full force kick. The sheer force of Issanni's strike, combined with the speed of Sui-feng when the kick connected, created a shockwave that completely leveled both the buildings nearest them. Sui-feng barely managed to block with her left arm. But the kick still had more than enough force to send her flying fifty stories to the grounds and through an entire block of buildings.

"I could see you were getting annoyed, so I decided to end this game." He put his foot down. "Pity, I was really having fun."

"About time!"

Issanni looked up as a shadow appeared over him. Yoruichi stood over him with her leg lifted high. She was wearing no longer wearing her orange shirt, and had armor on her legs and arms. She swung her right leg down, striking Issanni with enough force to send him to the ground; but unlike his opponent he had done the same to earlier, Issanni corrected himself and landed on his feet, leaving a large crater where he stood.

Issanni rolled his neck and swung his arms. "Ouch…" he popped his neck. "…that hurt." He looked at Yoruichi. "Why the hell are you wearing that?"

"It's necessary for a special ability," was all she said.

"Looks like mine." He pointed at his feet. He was wearing large metal boots that covered his shin. There were two lights on the side of each knee. "Had them specially made. Where have you been anyway?"

"Getting this…" She pointed at the anti-hierro armor she was wearing. "…I was hoping that I wouldn't have to use 'em."

Issanni felt a click in the back of his head and looked behind him towards the river. He lifted a finger. "Would you excuse me a moment?" He turned to hurry away.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Yoruichi positioned her body in a battle stance. "If there's one thing a member of the _Onmitsukido _never does, it's let their target get away."

"First of all, you're a former member…" He started to walk off. "…and second, you may want to go check up on your friend all the way over there." He pointed at the end of the block between them.

Yoruichi's eyes widened. "Sui-feng!" She ran off past the street of leveled buildings.

"I'll just be taking my leave." He tiptoed away, and then used Sonido as soon as he was out of sight.

"Sui-feng, Sui-feng, where are you!" Yoruichi went to the last of the leveled buildings. "Sui-feng, where are you!" She began to throw piles of rocks out of the way.

"Over here, Yoruichi-_sama_!" Yoruichi turned around and saw an arms sticking out of the rubble. She went over there and kicked the rocks off of Sui-feng. Sui-feng coughed at the dust. "Thank-you, Yoruichi-_sama_."

"All you all right Sui-feng?"

"Yes…" Sui-feng sat up against a wall and put her arm over her stomach. "…believe it or not, I've been through worse. I just need a moment."

"Sui-feng! Y-your arm!" Yoruichi gasped.

Sui-feng looked down; her left arm was bloody, broken, and bent several times. "That's a problem." She grabbed her wrist. "Just give it a moment."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Sui-feng, you need to at least stop the bleeding."

"Yoruichi-_sama_, I've had my arms been aged to nothing, this is a lot better that it seems." Sui-feng reached her mouth over her shoulder and bit at her _haori_. She bit down hard as her arms began to twist and bend grotesquely.

"Sui-feng, what the hell?"

In mere moments, Sui-feng's arm was working as if it were never shattered. "Like I said, I've had my arms aged to nothing. Well, the orange haired human girl healed my arm. Kurostuchi says it cause some sort of time and space anomaly. My left arm will always go back to the way it was if anything happens to it." She flexed her fingers, and stretched out the muscles to test her arm. "It was a little disturbing at first, and it's only my left arm. I never had the chance to dodge his kick, so the best I could do was block with this arm since it would just heal." Sui-feng got up and turned toward the area that she had been launched from. Sui-feng whistled. "Wow, I sure got some distance. Didn't I, Yoruichi-_sama_?

Yoruichi giggled. "You sure did Sui-feng. But you're still badly wounded from the crash."

Sui-feng stretched. "I'll be okay, Yoruichi-_sama_. Like I said, I've been through worse." She looked around. "Where did that Arrancar go?"

"His name is Issanni, and I think he went toward the river."

"Yup, but I'm back."

Both women turned around just in time to see Issanni level the last wall that Sui-feng hadn't hit. He succeeded in kicking up a lot of dust and blinded them. Yoruichi and Sui-feng covered their eyes and jumped out of the way. Issanni took advantage of this and jumped into the cloud of dust after putting on his hollow mask goggles. He kicked Yoruichi in the stomach and used an axe kick to strike her back and stun her. Her hooked her neck behind his knee and began to strangle her.

"How does it feel to be beaten at hand-to-hand combat; Yoruichi-_san_?"

"I dunno. Why don't _you_ tell _me_?"

Issanni released her and jumped out of the way, but not before a large butterfly mark appeared on his back. "Damn! Should have seen that coming." He reached back on prodded the area where he'd been marked. "Let's see if I remember correctly, this is a Homonkey?"

Sui-feng appeared next to Yoruichi, and she swung her arms in a circle, allowing poison to flow out. "It's a Homonka you imbecile. If I hit you there again, you will die."

"Looks like I can't play with you then." He crouched down and gathered _reiatsu_ beneath his feet. "Sorry, but looks like I have to kill you already, I can't risk leaving my poor Chiyo-chan behind."

He looked up with a serious expression on his face which was accompanied by the low booming sound made by Sonido. They anticipated his attack, but all he had done was stand up with his hands crossed behind his back.

"What cha' lookin' at?" he calmly asked. "If I were you…" he raised his hand and pointed at Sui-feng, "…I'd be worried about that wound."

The moment he finished that sentence, two dark red lines became visible on Sui-feng's body; releasing massive amounts of blood. Sui-feng slowly fell to her knees and had to put her hand down to stop herself from falling.

"Wh-when did you?"

"When did I do what?" He made the sound again. "You mean that?" He pointed once more, and blood started gushing from her back. "Or were you talking about that?"

He made the sound of Sonido, and more blood burst from her back. Issanni flung the fresh blood off of his hand.

"Impossible!" Sui-feng gasped.

No longer able to maintain a _reiatsu_ platform, Sui-feng fell to the concrete below.

"Sui-feng!"

Yoruichi reached out to grab Sui-feng, who reached back, but their fingers only grazed each other's. She shot a pleading look at Issanni, who merely nodded , and Yoruichi shunpoed down to catch Sui-feng. Yoruichi carried her down and gently laid her across on a roof a fair distance away.

"Sui-feng, listen to me! Stay awake, don't go." She took off her armor and then removed Sui-feng's _haori _and tried to use it to stop the bleeding. But it was a futile attempt; the wounds were too deep and too many; especially the deep gash on her back.

"I'm sorry, Yoruichi-sama." Her words came out as little more than a whisper. "I didn't see it coming." She held Yoruichi's hand in hers, as the crimson circle around her slowly grew.

"No, I'm sorry Sui-feng, I saw it, but I was too shocked to stop it." Yoruichi began to shed tears. "I'm not even sure if I could have." Yoruichi opened her eyes, and saw Suzumebachi reform into a sword, the blade was impaled in the roof so that the sword stood up.

"Looks like I don't have much time here, Yoruichi-_sama_." She saw a small line slowly travel across the blade. "Thank you, thank you for coming back, ten years ago…" Sui-feng violently coughed up blood, "…at least, I can die without regrets. At least I can die by your side." The line across the blade nearly reached the other end. "Man, I must sound really girly right now." Both of them chuckled, but Sui-feng winced in pain at the act. Sui-feng's voice began to get soft. "Good-bye, Yoru…" She began to cough up blood, and her wounds began to bleed more heavily. "…Good-bye, Yoruichi." Suzumebachi at last broke in two. The light from Sui-feng's eyes faded as the hilt hit the roof.

"SUI-FENG!"

Yoruichi held her hand against her cheek. It was lifeless. A last breath escaped her lips. Yoruichi remained still for several minutes, refusing to let go of Sui-feng's hand. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't suppress her sobs. She reached over, and closed her eyes, then folded her hands across her chest. She folded Sui-feng's blood-soaked _haori_, a placed it under her hands. The she grabbed the sword pieces placed it on the _haori_. Wordlessly, Yoruichi placed a barrier over Sui-feng's body.

"I wish there was more that I could do for you. But, this will have to do for now." She noticed the final smile on Sui-feng's lips. Yoruichi wiped away her tears. "You died a warrior's death. You'd probably say there is no greater honor." Yoruichi put her anti-hierro armor back on. "I'll finish this fight for you." Yoruichi turned around and Shunpoed back to the area that Issanni sat patiently.

"I just want you to know," Issanni began, "I wish that wasn't necessary, but in a 'you or me' world, I had no choice." He stood up and wiped his hands off. "Now I assume that her death is going to make you fight at your fullest, and I don't blame you." Issanni stood sideways with both fists facing forward. "But that doesn't mean I can let you win; so I still have to fight you."

Yoruichi kept her face down. She reached her right arm out to the side and started collecting _reiatsu_ in her palm, which quickly became a whirlwind which surrounded her hand. She looked at him with fiery eyes. "I wouldn't have it any other way!" She dissipated the whirlwind of _reiatsu_, and held a small, sheathed sword in her hand.

**Please don't hate me for killing Sui-feng. I don't hate her, but my war WILL have casualities. I posted a day early because I am going on vacation, so i have to do it while I can**


	22. Batalla de Energia

Jūshirō and Shunsui stood side by side on the edge of a rooftop, and on the other side of the street, stood an armored Espada-class Arrancar. The Espada wore nothing from head to toe except for a white material that covered his body. His helmet had no semblance of a face, just a blank plate, and back of it swooped back like a motorcycle helmet. He didn't seem to have a sword. Slowly, Ukitake and Kyoraku drew their swords.

"I assume we can't just settle our differences over a glass of sake?" Shunsui proposed.

"This guy doesn't really look like a drinker," Jūshirō said, his eyes never leaving his opponent. The Espada across the street merely stood there like a statue; unflinching, as though lost in thought. Then he spoke.

"Are we just going to stand around all day, or should I just kill you and get it over with?" The armored man said. His voice was oddly metallic sounding.

"Don't take us lightly. Not to brag, but you're looking at two of the strongest Taicho in Soul Society," Jūshirō informed him.

"Is that so?" The man shrugged Juushiro's remark off. He lifted a finger and pointed at them. "Don't think I'm going to fight you like this. Release your shikai, or you will die.

"But it's too much effort. Can't we just have some sake?" Shunsui once again proposed.

"Sorry, friend, but I highly doubt that's going to work with him," Ukitake remarked.

"I should have guessed." Shunsui adjusted his hat, sighing.

Jūshirō looked at the man and introduced himself. "Jūshirō Ukitake, _Taicho_ of Squad Thirteen."

Shunsui sighed. "Shunsui Kyoraku, _Taicho_ of Squad Eight. Would you please be so kind as to introduce yourself? I'd rather not fight another Primera."

"Genshiryoku, you're going to have to prove you're worth if you want to know my rank." He examined his claws.

"Ah, that's no fun." Shunsui complained. "Do you mind if I call you Gen? Your name is a bit of a mouthful."

"I'd rather you didn't. I already know who you are. You both fought the previous Primera, Coyote Starrk. I know that you…" he pointed at Shunsui. "…possess the ability to make children's games real with Katen Kyokotsu and that you…" He pointed at Jūshirō. "…have the ability to absorb and redirect an energy based attack with Sogyo no Kotowari. You are the one I really want to fight Jūshirō Ukitake. Your abilities would be the only challenge."

Shunsui stepped in front of Jūshirō. "Sorry, but if you fight one of us, you have to fight both."

"So be it. That just means you end up sharing a grave." Gen fired a white cero out of his finger tips with such speed that both captains barely had enough time to jump to either side of it.

_Amazing…_ Jushiro thought_. He didn't charge up his cero at all._ He thought back to his battle with the Primera_. Even Starrk had a charge up time, even if it was short._

Gen pointed at each captain and fired a cero at both of them. "I already told you; you will die if you don't release! Actually that's incorrect; you'll just delay it." Gen put his hands together and pointed both his finger in between them. "This isn't as strong as a normal cero, but let's see if you can dodge it." A white spark came from his fingers. "Cero Grande!"

A brilliant white cero burst forth from his hands and completely engulfed the building opposite of him, as well as grazing both _taicho_. Gen casually ducked under Shunsui's blade as he came up behind him. He knelt down and turned with a powerful kick to Shunsui's stomach. Just before his foot came in contact, Ukitake appeared above and slashed at Gen's knee. The attack succeeded in stopping the kick; Gen's foot was forced down into the roof of the building they were fighting on, destroying it.

Ukitake and Kyouraku appeared a few roofs away from him. "Agh!" Ukitake stabbed his sword into the ground and grabbed his wrist. "His hierro is strong, if I had hit any harder, I might have shattered my arm." He ripped off a piece of his sleeve and wrapped it around his sword hand.

"We've barely fought him and he already injured you without doing anything," Shunsui observed. Hesitantly, he drew his second sword. "Looks like I'll have to use both my swords."

"You done nursing your wounds?" Gen appeared on the opposite side of the roof they were on.

Ukitake grabbed his sword. His eyes widened when he saw that he hadn't even scratched Gen.

"Release your swords. I'm not being arrogant, I'm merely stating facts." He pointed at them again, releasing another white cero.

Both of them got out of the way, and the entire block behind them was leveled.

"Shunsui, I think he's right." Ukitake said as he appeared.

"I've been thinking the same thing." Kyoraku held his hat to stop it from flying off and sighed heavily.

"If you wait to release, you'll just be tired. Might as well do it now before I injure you anymore. I'll even give you time to do it."

Hesitantly, Jūshirō held his sword out in front of him. "All waves rise now and become my shield. Lightning strike now and become my blade…" He began to slide one hand down. "…Sogyo no Kotowari!" Jūshirō pulled his hands apart and held a pair of blades similar to that of javelins in both hands with a red cord connecting the two swords. Five rectangular golden charms hung from the red cord.

Shunsui crossed his swords out in front of him. "Flower wind rage and flower god roar, heavenly wind rage and heavenly demon sneer…" he began to slide the swords. "…Katen Kyokotsu!" He pulled the swords apart and wielded to large black scimitars.

"Are we getting so old we have to release already?" Ukitake asked his longtime friend.

Shunsui adjusted his hat. "I sure hope not. Wouldn't want to disappoint the ladies." He joked, which made Jūshirō chuckle.

"Finally…" Gen pointed at Shunsui, who had gotten wary of that. "…all I need to do is get rid of you. So what are we playing? Taka Oni, Kage Oni, Busshogoma, or my favorite, Iro Oni?"

Kyoraku was shocked that he knew what games he had. "You're certainly well informed," he complimented.

"Thanks."

Gen disappeared in a burst of Sonido and appeared behind Shunsui; Gen knelt down and fired a cero at Kyoraku's shadow. However, Shunsui got lucky, and the light from the cero actually dissipated the shadow. Both of the _taicho_ avoided the rubble.

"How did you know I had used Kage Oni?"

"Simple, we're on the ground, and don't think you're going to trick me by going up in the air." He put a hand on his chin. "Actually, I'd beat you at Taka Oni also."

He disappeared once more, appearing in front of Ukitake, and brought his elbow down on his head. Jūshirō barely blocked, but the force from the strike was more than enough to send him flying down to the streets. Shunsui tried to stab Gen from behind, but his blades merely bounced off of his Hierro. Gen spun around, and landed a devastating hook kick. Shunsui was knocked away about a block from Gen.

_Such force…_ He winced in pain as he flew through the air. _…I think he may have broken a rib or two._

Gen caught Shunsui's hat that gently floated down. "What a cheap hat." He burned it with a small cero.

Both Shunsui and Jūshirō appeared above their opponent, swords poised to strike.

"Taka Oni," Shunsui said.

They brought their swords down on their opponent, and sent him flying down to the street. Both of them dived down as though they were one; using the teamwork they had honed throughout the centuries, they didn't need to say a word.

"Kage Oni." They brought all four of their blades down on their opponent's shadow.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggh!" They heard Gen scream in pain. They pulled out their swords and impaled his shadow once more, until they no longer heard the screams of Gen.

"You were strong Genshiryoku; but your overconfidence couldn't defeat us."

"Good-bye; Gen-Gen." Shunsui wave as he walked away.

His friend shot him a confused look. "Gen-Gen; really?"

"What?" Shunsui shrugged his shoulders.

That just made Ukitake laugh.

"Just kidding." Jushiro and Shunsui turned around to see a white cero coming straight at them. Both surely would have been hit if Ukitake hadn't had his shikai out. He turned around and pointed both his swords at the ball of energy. Faster than the eye could see, the blast was absorbed through the left blade where it travelled through the cord, and was redirected back with much more force causing a satisfying explosion.

"That was close." Ukitake breathed heavily.

"How do you think I feel? That cero was meant for me." Shunsui sighed, and stood by his friend. He hit his swords against each other. "Come on, I could really use Iro Oni you lazy girls."

Ukitake smiled. "At least your mood hasn't been soured by this battle."

"Actually, I'm really sad that he burned my hat."

"Are you done yet? Because I'd really like to fight Ukitake." Gen walked out of the smoke unscathed. He noticed their reactions. "What, you really thought that would kill me?"

"I guess you could say that." Kyoraku replied. He reached up to fix his hat, only to grab nothing. "You owe me a new hat by the way."

"Look, why don't you just leave, and let me fight your bleach headed friend here."

"My hair isn't bleached. It's white because I'm sick." Ukitake informed him.

"Do the details really matter?" Gen put his hands up. He rolled his head back. "Let's just go."

He ran forward to them and struck the ground with his fist; sending all of them flying upward. He jumped from piece to piece, until he was above the cloud of debris. He put his hands together. "Cero Grande."

A massive ball of white erupted from his fingertips, engulfing the debris field. Just as he expected, it came right back at him and he easily dodged it.

Ukitake and Shunsui jumped into the air.

"I really didn't want to do this, but if you won't let me fight you alone, I might as well kill you already."

Gen put his hands together, then drew them apart. He gathered energy between his palms. A dark orb of energy with a white outline appeared. It cackled with electricity. "Cero Oscuras!"

The cero suddenly disappeared. Gen pointed his finger out, and a massive black blast burst forth from this finger. Ukitake placed his blade forward and absorbed the mass of energy.

"I thought you already knew what I could do." The energy flowed into his left sword. "This attack will only work against you."

The last shred on energy transferred into the blade, revealing Gen behind it. Gen grabbed Ukitake's right sword. "No it won't."

The energy from the blade imploded over all three of the combatants. The massive blast sent all three of them flying in opposite directions. Gen flipped around and landed on his feet. But both shinigami landed on their backs with a lot of force.

Ukitake painfully rolled over onto his forearms and started coughing up blood. "Damn, not now," he said in between his violent coughing. He reached for his sword only to have Gen step on his hand.

"I would have held back if you had only let me fight you one-on-one." He bent his knees and looked Ukitake in the eyes. "Sorry, I guess I have to kill you now."

He grabbed Ukitake by his hair and lifted him off his feet. Ukitake couldn't even fight back as he was still trying to suppress his coughing. Gen placed his left hand just inches from Ukitake's chest.

"What a waste." He allowed black sparks to burst from his fingertip. "Good-bye, Jūshirō Ukitake. Just know that the man who killed you is Genshiryoku, Segunda Espada!"


	23. Batalla Del Cientifico

Shin stood in the street with his hands crossed behind his back. Across from him stood the captain with immeasurable brute strength, Sajin Komamura.

"Huh…" Shin rubbed his chin, "…not the man I was hoping to fight."

"Who were hoping to fight?" Komamura held his sword out to the right and readied his fists.

"No one in particular, but you are more of a brute in combat…" He yawned "…such a bore."

"Combat is not meant to be enjoyable, it is meant to protect. No matter who fights, or for whom, there is always something being protected." He swung at the air in front of him and cracked the ground. "Don't tell me you enjoy combat, because if you do, I could introduce you to someone with the same tastes."

"I don't enjoy combat, in fact, I loathe it. Why get sweaty and dirty when you can just let others do that and collect samples later." He leaned forward and put one hand back. "The only reason I'm here is because Reina-sama ordered us all to join this battle. If I'm going to fight, I may as well get a bit of variety. All you're going to do is punch and slash me with your giant samurai."

"How do you have such information on us?"

Shin laughed. "Hacking into your archives was easy. I gave everyone a briefing on who we'd be fighting, so neither you nor your allies' abilities are a secret." Shin closed his eyes and looked up in thought. "You are Komamura Sajin, _Taicho_ of Squad Seven. You are extremely grateful to Yamamoto for accepting you when no one else did. Kaname Tosen was the first friend you ever made," Shin sneered. "Yet he nearly killed you when he revealed it was all a lie. Your brute strength is incomparable to anyone in the three worlds, you are a 'gentle giant' yet when you fight, you are cold, ruthless, and calculating, you possess endurance which has never been seen before, as shown when Aizen-_sama_ severed your arm and you immediately struck back. You also dislike bones, hate carrots, enjoy human world puppy shows, and you keep a dog named Goro in your squad's quarters, whom you take for walks in your free time."

Shin opened his eyes and enjoyed the sight of Komamura with his jaw hung open in surprise.

"A lot of that information doesn't even exist in records. How the hell do you know such things?" Sajin demanded.

"I have my ways." His voice became maniacal. "I can name every single taicho, fukutaicho, their zanpakuto, their abilities and weaknesses, as well as their _bankai_ form, even the release commands! If the information exists, I can guarantee you that I know it!"

He regarded Sajin expectantly, hoping to see him astonished. Instead, Sajin seemed unimpressed and he eyed his opponent.

"You have way too much time on your hands," he bluntly responded.

A vein on Shin's head popped. "Well excuse me, but when you're as smart as I, let me see you find things to take up your free time!" He regained his composure and coughed. "There isn't much to do in Hueco Mundo when you're not one of those thick-skulled idiots who only think about combat every hour of every day. Blame the Writer for giving me too much free time."

"Writer; what are you talking about?"

Shin pointed nowhere in particular, "The one who conceived this whole twisted plot!"

"Are you saying we're all fictional?" He touched the tip of his sword. "Feels like we're real."

Shin face palmed, "Oh, right, I forgot I was the only one who could see him." He glared at nowhere in particular. He once again regained his composure. "What do you say we start over, Komamura Sajin. I'm Shin Cientifico, Cinto Espada."

"You already seem to know more about me than I do, but I'm Komamura Sajin, _Taicho_ of the Seventh Division."

Shin crossed his arms behind his back. "Well now that we've gotten the pleasantries out of the way…" He once again glanced around in no particular direction. "…what do you say we start this battle? As much as I hate it, I'd rather get this over with."

"I agree, even if we have different reasons, we both want this battle to end quickly." He raised his sword over his head. "Roar, Tenken!" He swung his sword down, and a disembodied arm wielding a sword appeared from behind him and crushed the area that Shin stood in, reducing it to rubble. When the dust cleared, Sajin widened his golden eyes when he saw Shin standing on the back of his sword.

"Come on." Shin said with an annoyed tone of voice. "Is it really that surprising? All I had to do was side step it then jump on."

Komamura roared and swung his sword to the side, decimating a building. It collapsed onto the street.

"Whoops…looks like I better get out of here." Shin hopped just out of range of the building that stood over him. He allowed it to brush the tip of his shoes. "Easy."

He turned looked to the left, and saw a massive right hook coming for him. He jumped up and ran the length of the giant's forearm. He jumped when he reached its end and jumped up, twisting midair and landing behind Komamura. Komamura turned and swung his arm back in an attempt to crush his opponent. On contact, a cloud of debris was kicked up.

"Man, our writer really likes clouds of dust and/or debris." He covered his eyes with his sleeve.

"Who is this Writer you're talking about?" Sajin didn't let go of the pressure he applied with his fist.

Shin swung his hand, and cleared the debris away with a gust of wind. "The one who allows me to do this!"

The settling dust gave Komamura a clear view of his opponent. Shin stood their calmly with his right armed raised. He was holding the giant fist back with one finger.

"Oh come on!" Shin rolled his eyes. "Why are you still shocked whenever someone does this?" Shin bent his elbow, and then threw the arm away. "Two different people did the same thing the last time you were here." He face palmed. "Oh jeez, I need to get a life."

"That won't be an option for you when I'm done!"

Komamura swung his sword, and struck Shin directly. Without even removing his hand from his face, Shin blocked it with his free arm. The sword didn't so much as cut his sleeve.

"You must be thinking…" He peeked through his fingers "…that you're facing an opponent of immeasurable strength once again." Shin half-heartedly threw the sword back.

Komamura jumped away.

"Strictly referring to muscle mass and what not, I'm the weakest of the Espada." Shin looked up and smiled. "The problem for you is that to me, your attacks feel like nothing more than a feather in the breeze hitting me. Actually, scratch that, your attacks are nothing more than a feather in the breeze. Now, if I remember correctly…" He placed his fingers on his forehead and looked up, "…which I do, you are about to use your _bankai_ in a futile attempt to beat me."

"You're overconfident," Sajin replied. "I possess the mightiest _bankai_ in all of Soul Society."

"WRONG!" Shin put his hand forward. "You possess the _bankai_ with the rawest power. But as our dear readers know, power isn't everything alone." Shin used Sonido placed his finger on Komamura's black wolf nose. "Each blade of Senbonzakura is nothing more than a paper cut…" Shin watched as his opponent increased the gap between them, "…but when each blade works in tandem, it's a beautiful symphony of death. Suzumebachi is the least suited to one-on-one combat, but when used with speed and stealth, it is by far the deadliest. Kamishini no Yari's deadliest ability wasn't its cutting power, but its rate of contraction, and the poison. You're like one of those brutish knights of yore, while they lifted a huge sword that could cleave a man in two, an agile warrior was busy stabbing a rapier into the chinks of his armor. Forgive me if I sound arrogant, but face it, you can't win!" He pointed his hand at Sajin and charged up a bala. "Just use your _bankai_ like a good mutt and I'll show you." He launched the bala.

Komamura easily knocked aside such a strike. "I never said that brute strength was all that was necessary. But, I was not very good at anything else, so I focused on my area of expertise, until it was an unparalleled force." He brought his sword up. "By the way, I'm a wolf, not a dog!" He brought his sword crashing down, and grudgingly, summoned his _bankai_.

Shin closed his eyes as he waited for the blade to strike him. "I know, I but mutt is a better insult than lupine." He chuckled as the blade struck him.

He blew away the dust cloud that was once again kicked up revealing Shin to be completely unharmed, despite the fact that a massive sword pressed against his shoulder.

"I said I wanted to get this over with, so I'm just going to do that." Shin grabbed the blade of the giant and shoved it off his shoulder. He jumped up so that he was at eye level with the massive samurai, and grabbed the lip of its helmet. He swung his arm over his head and easily lifted the giant off its feet. Shin stood there for a moment holding the giant upside down in the air, a beacon visible to everyone in the battle field. He slammed the beast into the ground, then spun on his heels and swung the giant in a full circle, and threw it toward the river. Komamura dissipated the samurai before it flew too far.

"Ho-how? How did you defeat me so easily?" Komamura lay on the ground, severely wounded from the slam.

"Why should I bother explaining it to someone far below my level of intellect?" He jumped down the street and bent over Komamura's abused body.

"A warrior's honor." He painfully placed a fist on his chest.

"Sorry, but I don't have such a thing."

Shin reached behind his back, and grabbed what appeared to be a key ring from his waist. Slowly, it began to elongate until it was a long blade. Shin swung his sword down, and created a chasm in the building next to him. The handle wasn't ornamental in any way, just a normal grey, on the end of the handle, was a key ring like opening. The blade was wide and long, and it was colored dark grey. Along the length of the blade, were five evenly spaced holes. He flipped the sword around in his hand and placed the point over Komamura's neck.

"I'm not sadistic like my predecessor, so I'll kill you quickly." The holes in the blade filled with Shin's purple reiastu, and flowed like fire. Shin brought the blade up and stabbed down. When the tip was close enough to graze Sajin's fur, the strike stopped. A long tendon like appendage was wrapped around Shin's wrist, on the end hung a small _Kusarigama_.

"Sorry, but I would also like to know how you managed to do such a feat." Mayuri retracted his scythe like appendage. "I saw the giant in the air and came hoping for some specimens. But I believe I overheard you state that you didn't use brute strength to counter the strikes."

Shin put his fingers over his eyes and shook his head. "THIS IS SO CLICHÉ DAMN IT!" He motioned to Mayuri and looked off into space. "Not only do you have him come at just the right time, you make it the scientist! Didn't Kubo-_sama_ already do a nerd-on-nerd battle!"

"I resent that term." Kurostuchi pointed out.

But Shin either didn't hear him or ignored him. He continued to rant on to no one.

Mayuri rubbed his chin. "Interesting Nemu, he seems to possess Cross-dimensional awareness."

"It would appear to be so, Mayuri-sama," Nemu said emotionless. She had a large bag many times bigger than her strapped to her back.

"He will definitely make an interesting specimen. Nemu, go procure him for me," he ordered.

Nemu bowed. "I am afraid I cannot handle someone of Espada level, Mayuri-sama. If you wish, I will distract him for you whilst you paralyze him."

"Oh, Espada level, I was so deep in thought I didn't even notice." Mayuri sighed heavily. "Go seat up some reiastu scanners or something. As much as I hate it, looks like I'll have to procure my own subject this time. Who knows, maybe I can obtain his Cross-dimensional awareness." Mayuri walked forward and unsheathed his sword. "Rip, Ashisogi Jizo!"

Mayuri held his blade upside down as is transformed in to its trident like sword with the head of a baby. Mayuri walked up behind Shin and stabbed forward. Shin felt the surge behind him a jumped out of the way of the strike, but not before he was grazed. He jumped away several feet.

"That wasn't very nice…sneaking up on me like that." Shin admonished.

"Does it really look like I care?" Mayuri lazily stated. "Now hurry up and collapse like a good specimen."

"What are-" He was cut off as he found himself unable to stand up. He collapsed like a ragdoll. "Ah a poison." Shin moved his eyes around. "It's not a tranquilizer; you've stopped my muscles from receiving orders from my nerves, while keeping pain sensors intact." He looked forward. "Very good Kurostuchi Mayuri, but this won't keep me down at all." Shin closed his eyes, and glowed with purple _reiatsu_. He slowly stood up, and released the glow.

"You know who I am, intriguing, I don't believe we've meet. Also, would you explain how you synthesized an antidote without even moving?"

"I figured out a long time ago how to convert _reiryoku_ into various substances. All I did was analyze it, then I made a cure." Shin looked up into the sky. "This is so cliché! Can't you give me someone else to fight?"

"Should I assume that this is some sort of Cross-dimensional awareness?" Mayuri inquired.

"Call it whatever you want, but I'm the only one who knows about the power even higher than the Spirit King, and he's making me fight you."

"Amazing; would you kindly explain who it is that has more power than the Spirit King himself?"

"He's never actually talked to me, but I know he's there!" He looked around like a mad man. "I call him the Writer because he could literally just delete you if he wanted to."

"Very interesting. I must see this Writer for myself so that I can dissect him."

"I wouldn't say that if I were you." He leaned toward Mayuri and whispered. "He sees all, and he knows all. He could kill you with a thought."

"I'll confirm that for myself once I dissect you."

Shin put his hands up and shrugged. "I doubt he would allow that. He's got a much more devious scheme in mind. I can also tell he doesn't like you very much."

"I'm starting to doubt your awareness of other dimensions. I'm beginning to think you're missing a large number of your brain cells." Mayuri tapped his chin. "I wonder if all scientists end up like that eventually." He began to mumble to himself. "I must do some experiments when I return to my lab."

"You won't get the chance, because I plan on winning."

"Just hope your 'Writer' has the same plan in mind." Mayuri held his sword up. "_Bankai_. His sword returned to its sealed form, and a large grotesque baby headed caterpillar appeared behind Mayuri. "Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo!"

Shin sighed. "Why do you have to release so early? Why can't we just walk away and each find some specimens, or better yet play that human game. I believe it is called 'Jeopardy."

"As much as I'd love to do the same, I can't allow a subject such as you to get away." He pointed at Shin, and the giant baby head opened its mouth and released a purple gas. "Don't worry, this poison won't kill you, but its paralysis is a hundred times stronger than my _shikai_."

"I'll still make a cure for it." Shin pulled his shirt over his face. "If Unohana-_san_ can do it, then I sure can."

Mayuri winced at the mention of her name. "Don't you dare say her name around me! I have vowed to make an incurable poison, and I will do so." His _bankai_ released the blades from under its chin. "Try not to get to cut up too much. I should be able to use your body to achieve my goal."

Shin sighed as the bankai charged at him. He jumped up to the baby's head, and flicked it across the street. "Easy."

"Hmm, I think I've figured out how you appear to achieve such feats of physical strength. You're using the same amount of energy it takes to swat a fly, yet lifting things well beyond your limits."

"So soon? I was hoping to surprise you." Shin shrugged, "Ah well, I shouldn't be surprised that the head of Research and Development figured it out so soon." Shin put the point of his sword on the ground. "I may as well end this; you'll be able to counter anything I do. Unless I release!" Shin began to scratch a circle into the ground. "Bend gravity to your will, Gravedad Poseedor!" Shin felt something in the back of his mind and stopped. Then looked to the right. "Oh shit! Please don't end it with…"

**Gravedad Poseedor: Gravity Keeper- details later.**


	24. Batalla Del Bosque

Zaraki Kenpachi wandered aimlessly through the streets of the Fake Karakura Town. Rather than pair up for a fight, he decided to search alone until he found a strong person that wasn't already busy fighting someone else. Currently, he was standing at a three way intersection with a wall in front of him that Yachiru had led him to. He was contemplating whether to take a left or right.

"Go that way Ken-chan!" She pointed in both directions.

"Ah, fuck it!" He walked forward and kicked the wall that blocked the way in front of him. It disintegrated into a pile of rubble at his feet.

"I should really do that more often," he commented as he cleared away the dust.

"What's this?" Yachiru pointed to the entire area in front of her.

Kenpachi stared at the mass of trees in front of him. Trees of every size and shape stood in his way, and there were even several shades of grass.

"Don't know..." Kenpachi drew his blade, "...don't care." he swung his sword and cleared an entire swath of trees in front of him.

"You attack trees now?"

A man walked out from behind one of the many trees. He wore black and red samurai armor. His hollow mask fragment formed his helmet, and it overshadowed his face, leaving the impression that the armor was empty. The most unique feature however, was a one bladed axe that he held over his shoulder with one hand. The blade alone was as big as he was, and with the wooden handle, it was over three times his height.

"So what, I only care about one thing, so let me ask you something: are you strong?" Kenpachi licked his lips.

The man stood there for a moment without replying. He pointed his axe at Kenpachi. "Not yet."

Kenpachi raised an eyebrow. "At least you're honest. But…" he turned around and walked back, "…I only fight the strong."

Yachiru jumped out of the way as Kenpachi placed his sword behind him, blocking the man's strike without even turning.

"You're fast I'll give you that. I didn't think a scrawny guy like you could even use such a big weapon, let alone with such speed. But you need to stay out of my way." Kazuki pushed himself off and jumped back.

"I'm afraid I cannot, because I plan on killing you."

At this statement, Kenpachi's mouth twisted into a sadistic sneer. He pushed the man back but still didn't face him. "You've certainly got a pair. What's your name? You've shown you're worthy enough to be remembered."

"Kazuki Des Las Flores. Octava Espada."

"All right then, come and find me when you're stronger." He walked forward.

Kazuki sighed deeply. He pointed his large axe in front of Kenpachi, "Detenlo!"

The trees in front of Kenpachi glowed faintly for a moment, and all their roots shot in front of Kenpachi. The trees followed suite, and soon, a wall of trees blocked Kenpachi, and the roots had interwoven themselves in between the trees.

"Encierra!"

He swung his axe up. The roots and branches began to grow at an advanced rate, growing up and over the forest itself. Every branch and root interwove and created a large dome the size of a football stadium over both of them, enclosing the entire forest.

"Ilumina!"

He swung his axe to the side, causing many luminescent flowers to sprout from the roof that provided more than enough light to see. Kenpachi was fazed by none of this. He simply drew his sword and struck the wall in front of him; the mark he left could hardly be called a scratch, even with his immense strength.

"This could be more fun than I thought." Kenpachi shooed Yachiru off his shoulder and turned to face his new opponent. "Since I'm stuck here I may as well face you."

"Finally you understand." He pointed his axe at Kenpachi. "Enjoy this battle; for it is your last!"

Kazuki ran forward and slashed Kenpachi, who easily blocked the strike. Kenpachi used his free hand to grab Kazuki's helmet and slam him into the ground. He stabbed down, but Kazuki rolled out of the way. The axe fell to the ground and sunk into it. Kazuki stood up, and a small sapling grew next to him. The tree grew into his axe, and he tore it from the ground.

"Fancy move you've got there," Kenpachi complimented.

"I've got plenty more to come." Kazuki stung his axe into the ground, and behind Kenpachi, a blade popped up. Kenpachi turned around and blocked the blade. Kazuki immediately retracted it, and dashed behind Kenpachi. He slashed a line across Kenpachi's back, but Kenpachi was unfazed and turned around, severing Kazuki at the waist.

"I knew you were too weak to face me." Kenpachi stabbed his sword forward, and impaled Kazuki's severed torso midair. Kenpachi sighed. "Now how do I get out of here?"

Kenpachi felt a hand grab his wrist. He looked in front of him, and saw the blank face look at him.

"You really thought you got me there didn't you?" The torso began to turn a sickly green. In moments it burst into a pile of leaves and branches. Kenpachi looked around, searching for his opponent. "This forest is me, I am this forest, we are one, and we are all." The voice seemingly came from every direction. "This entire forest is my resurrecίon, Bosque."

"This is a coward's technique!" Kenpachi began to slash at every tree in his vicinity. "Looks like I'll just have to cut down every single tree in this forest." Kenpachi started off his goal and struck down the tree next to him.

"I'm afraid that's not possible. At the same time I rest below you, I'm also on the clear end of the forest; I can throw a leaf into the wind, and see everything that it comes near. I even planted a few of my leaves in Soul Society. You can't expect to cut a tree and get lucky by killing me, I am literally everywhere in this forest at once, not some technique where I flow through , that's not going to work; I can reform from as little as a blade of grass."

An arm shot up from the ground and clamped an iron grip on Kenpachi's leg. The arm transformed into the same root that formed the dome, pinning Kenpachi. Another arm shot up and grabbed Kenpachi's other leg. Kenpachi slashed at the roots, but to no avail.

"What the fuck are these thing made of!" Even with his monstrous strength, Kenpachi was unable to severe the roots.

"These roots are even stronger than my hierro. But even then you could have cut them; I had our local mad scientist strengthen them to handle you." Kenpachi widened his eyes and Kazuki used his surprise to grip Kenpachi's sword and his other hand with a root.

"What do you mean 'to handle me'? Are you saying you wanted to fight me?" Kenpachi laughed. "I can't tell if you're the bravest or the stupidest person I have ever met! I am the eleventh Kenpachi of the Eleventh Squad. I reached my rank by killing the previous Kenpachi in a single blow! Even Ichigo Kurosaki, the only man to ever defeat me, trembled, before he had gained victory! I find this insulting that you think you can defeat me just because I can't cut this root!" Kenpachi began to pull at his restraints with the entirety of his strength.

"Don't bother; they are tuned to your _reiastu_."

In front of Kenpachi, a tree began to grow. It bloomed into a full grown cherry blossom. Kenpachi groaned at the irony. Kazuki's head protruded out, and he formed his upper torso and arms, along with his axe. Kazuki stepped out of the tree and walked forward; axe in hand. "Thanks to you Kenpachi Zaraki, I have become stronger."

"What are you talking about?" Kenpachi stalled, as he felt the roots loosen.

"You have so much _reiatsu_, that it's only natural that you wouldn't notice till now." Kazuki put his axe forward, until the blade touched Kenpachi's forehead. "Continue to make me the strongest being."

Kazuki flicked his wrist to the left, cutting the strap on Kenpachi's eye patch. Kazuki immediately stepped back into the cherry blossom tree. Kenpachi pulled at his restraints, and rather than breaking them, he uprooted the trees that bound him. Kenpachi swung his fists in and shattered the trees, leaving the roots tied around his wrist. He crouched down and kicked, doing the same for his legs. He tore off his _haori_ and shirt, and grabbed his sword; he'd let Yamamoto berate him for losing it later.

"Do you realize that you've just doomed yourself? Now I can't hold back anymore." Kenpachi lifted the blade above his head, and swung down, sending a wave of _reiatsu_ at the trees in front of him. "Since it seems you can't be killed when you're in your forest, looks like I'll have to destroy everything!" Kenpachi began to laugh as he dashed off.

"Entrampa!" Kazuki commanded, causing dozens of roots to ensnare Kenpachi.

But Kenpachi simply uprooted the trees. In his destructive rage, he never noticed the trees growing in size.

"Empala!"

Several roots shot out of the ground and stabbed through Kenpachi's stomach, but to a man such as he, these wounds were nothing. He pulled the roots out and destroyed everything around him, but he quickly noticed that the trees started to replant as fast as they were cut down, and pretty quickly, they grazed the roof. Kenpachi didn't give up however, and continued to deforest everything around him, even going so far as to slash the grass beneath his feet.

"Enough!"

Kenpachi stopped and looked as a cherry blossom grew in front of him.

Kazuki stepped out with his axe in hand. "Thanks to you, I will achieve near limitless power!"

"Yeah right…" Kenpachi swung his sword, "…then fight me! You keep talking about getting stronger, so prove it to me!"

Kazuki didn't respond, he ran forward and slashed the Kenpachi across the chest. Kenpachi didn't even flinch and struck back, but his blade bounced off his opponent's armor. Kazuki stepped back and faded into a tree. He reappeared behind Kenpachi and brought the large axe over his head.

"Finally, a real fight!" Zaraki gleefully exclaimed.

Kenpachi caught the blade and pulled the weapon, along with its wielder, toward him. He aimed for the face, but Kazuki let go of his axe and caught the blade with his armored hand, allowing to slide through his grip. Then he jumped back.

"Impressive, you left a mark on my armor." He showed his palm to Kenpachi, revealing a small, but respectable cut. "It's made up of the roots, the strongest material in my forest."

"It was just a matter of getting used to it. Eventually, I'll be able to slice through it as if it were simple hierro."

Kazuki lifted his axe in both hands and began to spin in over his head. The trees surrounding them began to shed their leaves until they were barren. Each of them circled Kazuki's feet.

"Triture!"

He pointed the axe at Kenpachi, directing each leaf toward Kenpachi. Many slashing sounds could be heard as each leaf became razor sharp. Kenpachi just stared at the oncoming mass of blades as if they were nothing. When the swarm collided with Kenpachi, he couldn't even be seen past the tornado of multicolored leaves.

"Take that, Zaraki!" He swung his axe to the right, and each leaf rotated around Kenpachi.

A sword popped out of the swarm, and swung down, scattering every blade with a burst of _reiatsu_. Kenpachi stood unfazed and unmoved. The only evidence that he had been attacked was a trail of blood running down his shoulder. "Don't try to attack me with a wannabe version of Senbonzakura! You can't kill me with a rip off!"

"It's not a rip off; it is just one of the many abilities of my Bosque. Like this one!" Kazuki slammed his palms together. "Iron Maiden!"

Four trees around Kenpachi grew large spikes, and slammed into Kenpachi. They molded themselves into a solid tree trunk. Several spear like protrusions grew out of the trunk, then slammed back in with extreme force. Kazuki stood for several minutes, until a large crack was heard and a line traveled down the length of the tree. It crawled all the way to the roots' when it reached the ground, the whole tree exploded in a shower of splinters. Kenpachi stood inattentively, as if he hadn't realized he had escaped. Kenpachi yawned. He had gained a large gash across his chest and his hair flopped down.

"That was pathetic," Kenpachi stated.

"I think you've given every naturalist in the world a heart attack at this point." Kazuki commented. He reached out and summoned his axe yet again. "Hurry up and die Kenpachi!" He jumped up and swung his axe down with full force.

"Sorry, but this has gotten really boring…" Kenpachi lazily raised his sword to block the oncoming strike. "…so I'm just going to end this already."

He reached up and trapped Kazuki's axe in an iron grip. He pulled down and dragged Kazuki to his level, while stabbing his sword forward. He aimed straight for Kazuki's face. Kazuki let go of his axe and once again caught the oncoming blade, but Kenpachi hadn't held back, and the blade drew blood from Kazuki's palm. Kenpachi released the axe and reached into Kazuki's helmet to grab his face. He stepped forward with Kazuki still in his hand, and slammed him down into the ground. Kenpachi didn't hold back as he stabbed down, and pierced Kazuki's shoulder before he could meld with the forest.

"Damn you Kenpachi!" Kazuki cursed. He melded with the forest before Kenpachi could stike him again.

Kenpachi stood with his sword on his shoulder as he waited for Kazuki to appear. "Hurry up! I want a challenge, someone as strong as that guy with the eye patch!"

"Then try this!"

Five trees sprouted from the ground and grew to Kenpachi's height. Rather than growing leaves, they twisted and curved, until each one resembled their master. They had no coloring causing them to look like the trees the formed from. In the shadow of the helmet, two yellow eyes glowed. "This ought to satisfy you!"

Each clone reached into the ground, and pulled up a large axe.

"This isn't a challenge, I was holding back before, but I have no reason to know because this is boring as hell!"

Kenpachi swung forward and decapitated the clone nearest him. However, he was genuinely surprised when the same clone grabbed Kenpachi, and slashed him across the back. Kenpachi turned around, and sliced in two from top to bottom. Another clone dug its axe into his shoulder; Kenpachi removed the weapon, and sliced its owner. Kenpachi sliced an axe the swung at him, and threw the clone into another.

"This is too easy!"

Kenpachi stabbed the final clone, then dug his hand into the wound and ripped it in two.

"My dear Kenpachi, don't you watch movies or something?" Kazuki inquired. "You should know that when copies are involved, it's never that simple."

Kenpachi turned and saw each severed body part reattach themselves to the ground, before growing a new body or limb respectively.

He rubbed his chin. _If I cut enough of these guys up, it could actually end up being fun._

He ran forward, and severed every clone in front of him at the waist. They quickly began to regenerate each lost portion of their bodies.

"Hell yeah, I can work with this!"

Kenpachi began to randomly slice and dice every object around him, in an attempt to increase his opposition.

"I know you love to fight, but is this really a good idea, Zaraki?" Kazuki asked.

"Who cares? As long as long as I have strong enemies to fight, nothing else matters!"

Soon, Kenpachi had created several dozen clones.

"These guys don't have your armor, but they are as strong as you are! That's more than enough for me!"

Kenpachi allowed the clones to rush him. Within in minutes, he was so wounded, that anyone else would have collapsed. But such wounds were paper cuts to him, as he was in a bloody rampage. He sliced through each axe like butter, along with the wielder. He grabbed an oncoming axe and pulled it away. He turned around and threw it so that it decapitated every clone in a single direction. His enemies just continued to multiply.

"This is nearly as much fun as the fight I had last time!"

Kenpachi punched the ground, sending every clone around him into the air. He was so focused on the joy of fighting, that he didn't notice that little by little, he had to try harder to cut the clones. He jumped up and slashed them one by one, using their severed bodies as stepping stones on his way to the next kill.

"Come one Kazuki! This is just an appetizer to me! You've showed me you're worthy of being killed by my blade!"

Kenpachi jumped up and punched downward. He focused a small amount of _reiatsu_ into his punch, causing a massive shockwave of air to force every clone into the ground. He left a large crater when he landed in the middle of the shockwave. Kenpachi waited for his real opponent to pop up, and he didn't have to wait long. Soon an arm popped out of the ground, and Kazuki dragged himself out of the ground.

"Nice entrance." Kenpachi remarked. "You looked like a zombie."

"I don't need compliments from you."

"It wasn't a complement."

Kazuki stood up; his shoulder was completely healed. "It's time for you to die." Kazuki stuck his arm out, and his signature axe popped out of his forearm. "Take this."

He swung his axe down and sent a wave of reiatsu at Kenpachi. Kenpachi countered with a similar move.

"So you've finally decided to fight one-on-one again? About damn time!"

Kenpachi lunged forward, but Kazuki appeared behind Kenpachi, as slashed Kenpachi before he was even aware of what happened. As soon as Kenpachi turned, Kazuki was once again behind him stabbing Kenpachi with his free hand. Kenpachi reached back and grabbed the arm, pinning Kazuki. Kenpachi swung behind him, and grazed Kazuki. Kazuki turned his forearm into root, and retracted it back. He jumped back, and launched his new arm at Kenpachi like a tentacle. Kenpachi sidestepped it and grabbed the arm. But, Kazuki pulled his arm up, and slammed Kenpachi into the roof, before bringing him back down.

"Amazing, so this is true power! I'm stronger, and I have new tricks up my sleeve." He reformed his normal arm, and then turned it back into a tentacle in order to test out his new ability. "I could get used to this."

He looked up, and blocked a strike from the ever vigilant Kenpachi. The resulting clash created a crater beneath Kazuki's feet. Kazuki grabbed Kenpachi with his whip fist and threw him up, then brought several more clones from the ground, and jumped after him.

"This is the end Kenpachi!" Kazuki directed his clones to grab Kenpachi.

Kenpachi righted himself midair, and dashed to meet his opponent. "I still see plenty more battles in my future!" Kenpachi cut through several clones, and slashed Kazuki's shoulder. His blade bounced of the armor, but the force still knocked him back. He hit the ground hard, and rolled out of the way of Kenpachi's blade.

"Die already, _Shinigami_!" Kazuki slashed Kenpachi's shoulder. But Kenpachi completely ignored the wound.

"I'm not going to die! I live for the fight, the battle, I live for death!" Kenpachi punched his opponent several yards away. "The feeling when your blade sinks its fang into flesh, when the blood of your enemies covers you like a coat, the pain of a wound! If I am to one day fall in battle, it will be by the strongest opponent ever, and that day will be the best day of my life, because that battle, will be great! But, today is not the day I die! You are strong enough for me to have fun with, but nowhere near strong enough to kill me!"

Kenpachi dashed forward and slashed across Kazuki's chest. Kazuki jumped over his opponent, and slashed Kenpachi's back. Kenpachi released a quick burst of _reiatsu_ that knocked Kazuki away.

"Yeah, this is what I live for! Only when one is close to death, do they feel the most alive!" Kenpachi blocked a strike from Kazuki with one hand.

Kazuki put his face close to Kenpachi's as they clashed. "You have the right to boast about your strength, but what happens when that is taken away; when you no longer stand at the top of the pile of bodies? I will be the one to kill you." Kazuki pushed himself away from Kenpachi.

"What the hell are you talking about? I am the strongest!" Kenpachi wore his maniacal grin.

"Not for long." Kazuki raised his fingers and pointed at Kenpachi. "Cero." Kazuki fired a light red cero at Kenpachi, who easily blocked it with his hand. Behind the cero stood three clones that startled Kenpachi. They used his surprise to create three long slashed across his chest.

"Damn, that was a good shot!"

Kenpachi slashed all three of the clones then threw the pieces across the forest. Kenpachi heard a twig break behind him, and he turned around, just in time to avoid a strike to the neck. Kazuki followed up by stabbing the ground, and grabbing Kenpachi's leg with roots. Kenpachi leaned down, and uprooted the trees that they came from, the swung them at Kazuki, who jumped out of the way. He appeared behind Kenpachi, who couldn't block because he was breaking his restraints. Kazuki etched another slash that went from one shoulder to the other.

"You look like you are getting tired Kenpachi." Kazuki stated as he jumped away.

Kenpachi felt the back of his neck. "Damn, if this continues, I won't be able to find another opponent." Kenpachi turned to face his opponent. "Well, you claim you can kill me. So why don't we clash one last time."

Kazuki gripped his axe with both hands. "Sounds good to me." He began to gather _reiatsu_ along the edge of his axe. He ran forward with his axe held high, unleashing a battle roar.

Kenpachi waited for his opponent to get close. When he was no more than ten feet away, Kenpachi gripped his sword with his other hand and swung it with unparalleled force. The resulting clash completely cut through Kazuki's axe, and he continued to cut through his armor like butter.

Kazuki crashed through an entire row of trees. He had a large gash that went from his right shoulder, down to his left hit. His axe lay in two next to him, with his arm still gripping it tightly, despite the fact that it had been severed.

Kenpachi sighed. "Thanks for the good fight." He turned around. "Now I just have to get out of here."

"I'm not done yet!"

Kenpachi turned around to see Kazuki struggle to stand up. His blood poured out in a stream.

"You just caused these wounds, now you're going to heal them!"

Kenpachi raised an eyebrow. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Kazuki grabbed his axe with his right hand, and planted it in the ground. Next to the handle, a small sapling sprouted from the ground. It grew and grew until it was waist height, and a small golden apple grew from it. "You haven't noticed, but you don't have a lot of _reiatsu_ right now. Normally, your _reiatsu_ is many times stronger than a captain's, but right now, it's only about double. You haven't noticed because you never use it all."

Kazuki grabbed the apple. He bent his head back and slowly lowered the apple into his mouth. He belched with satisfaction after eating the apple whole.

"The moment you stepped into this forest, your _reiastu_ has been drained by my flora. These trees were average when you got here, now they dwarf the famous redwoods."

Kazuki gripped the stump of his arm and a wooden prosthetic popped out of it. The blood stopped flowing from his chest, and his armor sealed up.

"Strike me again Kenpachi, don't hold back on iota of strength! If you wound me like that again, I'll release this dome."

Kenpachi sighed, completely unfazed by what he just said. "Fine."

Kenpachi gripped his sword with both hands again. Kazuki ran toward Kenpachi without his axe, and waited for the strike. Kenpachi slashed down hard, but he didn't feel his sword sink into flesh.

"Surprised?" Kazuki held back Kenpachi's swing with one hand. He had even removed his glove. "The last of your _reiatsu_ is finally slipping away."

Kenpachi was too shocked to respond.

"You can't comprehend his can you?" Kazuki wrapped his fingers around the sword. "I will explain all in a moment." Kazuki squeezed his hand and shattered Kenpachi's blade. "Right now you're no stronger than a human, and I have all your _reiatsu_." Kazuki stabbed Kenpachi with his hand and threw him back. "You may as well use a twig to kill a dragon!"

Kazuki laughed, and began to unleash a massive wave of yellow _reiatsu_. "This is ultimate power!" He pointed at Kenpachi. "I told you that I would become strong! Look, not only have I done so, you can't even enjoy the fight, because you can't even withstand this massive _reiatsu;_ because you lack it! I possess every ounce of your reiastu!"

Kenpachi slowly stood up. He gripped his shattered blade. "I'm not going to bleed out." He gripped his sword with both hands. "I told you, if I die; it'll be in battle. Don't mess up, because if I survive, I'll become stronger, then I'll come back for you. That's how battle works." Kenpachi ran as fast as he could with his lethal wound.

Kazuki grabbed his axe. "Because you gave me such power, I will grant you a swift death." He disappeared in a burst of Sonido, and cut Kenpachi five times before he reappeared.

Kenpachi slowly fell to his knees and dropped his sword. "Thanks for the battle." He barely mustered to say as he collapsed onto the cold, harsh grass.

**Hola. I know it's been a while since I left an author's note, but I really didn't feel a need to, and I didn't think anyone bothered to read them. Anyway, once I have revealed all the Espada, I will put up a poll to see who is the most popular. Don't pick them because they're strong, I will do 'which do you think is strongest' later. Oh, and I did not make Kenpachi weaker, at the end, he had no **_**reiatsu,**_** and Kazuki had all of Kenpachi's, plus his own.**

**Bosque: Kazuki's zanpakuto. He had released it before Kenpachi arrived. He can manipulate it to great effect, and even meld with the forest, allowing him to see everything at once. It's primary ability is to drain an opponents reiastu, then give it to Kazuki via golden apple.**

**Kazuki commands his forest in Spanish.**

**Detenlo: Stop him**

**Encierra: Enclose**

**llumina: Illuminate**

**Entampra:Trap**

**Empala: Impale**

**Triture:Shred**


	25. Batalla De La Princessa

**I've been getting review on how my Espada are overpowered, and you fears are justified. But if I don't say this now, I fear I'll lose my reader. YES, the shinigami will win some of the battles; you'll just have to wait for part two of each battle. On a side note, please vote for the poll on my profile page.**

Toshiro stood in the air as the wind flapped at his haori. Rangiku stood by his side with her hand on her sword. Across from them stood a man with striking silver hair, and on his face was a silver mask with no semblance of a face. He wore a white hakama and his robe opened in a narrow 'V' down to his waist, closed to below the hips, and then open again to the hem, which fell to mid-calf. His robe had long bell sleeves.

"Are you ready, Matsumoto?" Toshiro's voice was as calm and collected as ever.

"Of course, Taicho." Rangiku drew her sword as Toshiro slowly did the same.

"Toshiro Hitsugaya, Taicho of the tenth squad." He put his guard up.

"Rangiku Matsumoto-fukutaicho of the tenth squad."

The man across from them folded his arms so that they were hidden in his sleeves. His blank mask conveyed no emotion. "Nobu; it's a pleasure to meet you, Hitsugaya."

Hitsugaya blew at the hair that hung over his forehead. "I wish I could say the same."

"Aww, now that hurt my feelings."

"This is a war; don't try to get friendly with me." Hitsugaya calmly shot back.

Nobu sighed heavily. "You're so cold."

Hitsugaya ignored the pun "Matsumoto, you ready?" He pointed his _zanpakuto_ at Nobu.

"Of course, Taicho." She gripped her wrist with her other hand, ready to release.

Nobu pulled his hands out of his sleeve. In his right hand, he held a small _wakizashi_ with a unique S-shaped guard.

"Let's begin." Nobu jumped forward with his sword held high. He brought his blade down upon Toshiro's head.

Hitsugaya placed his forearm on the flat of his blade in order to block the strike. "Nice strike." Toshiro grunted.

"Thanks," Nobu jumped up and back to avoid Rangiku's attack. She quickly pulled her sword back so she didn't strike Hitsugaya. "Nice try; Rangiku-chan." He kicked her into a nearby building, burying her in rubble.

"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyourinmaru!" Toshiro appeared behind Nobu and hit him with a large beast of ice.

Nobu turned around and caught the dragon's jaw, keeping it open as he was pushed down into the street. His back crashed into the street. He held the beast back, but ice slowly climbed onto his hands. "Damn…" Nobu muttered beneath his breath. The beast shattered on itself, burying Nobu in a mound of ice.

Hitsugaya dove down and stabbed the pile of ice, burying his blade deep into Nobu's stomach. Hitsugaya left the blade where it was and sighed. He opened his eyes as he heard a high pitched whistle below him. He leaned to the right, and a flash of white light extended into the air; grazing his cheek. Toshiro jumped back with wide eyes as Nobu retracted the strike and shattered the ice pile.

He stood relatively unscathed, save for a growing red circle on his stomach. Nobu gently prodded the wound in his stomach. "Not bad, Shiro-chan. This isn't very deep though."

None of what Nobu said registered in Toshiro's mind. _That strike…_ Hitsugaya thought. _Impossible..._

Hitsugaya was dragged out of his thoughts as he felt Nobu close in on him. He blocked the attack and slide a few feet as he clashed. Toshiro locked eyes with Nobu's blank mask. "You're strong, Espada; but that won't change the outcome of this battle." Toshiro sidestepped, allowing Nobu to stumble past him.

"You're right..." Nobu turned and narrowly blocked the incoming attack. "…it won't change the outcome." Nobu spun on his heel and ended up behind Toshiro, allowing him to slash his back.

Toshiro turned to face his opponent, only to be met with a flurry of strikes. He blocked and avoided most of them, but several grazed his chest. He jumped back and threw the crescent moon blade.

Nobu effortlessly blocked it, but this caused the chain to float around his blade and entangle it. "Damn!" His released his sword as Hitsugaya pulled back, causing the moon to cut along his arm. He flung the chain, leaving Nobu's sword embedded in the ground a block away.

Nobu dove forward and caught Hitsugaya's wrist.

Toshiro didn't react to the assault and merely smirked, surprising Nobu. Hitsugaya jumped up revealing Matsumoto behind him.

Nobu grimaced in pain as he received a clean strike straight across his chest. Fresh blood shot from the new wound. He disappeared with a burst of Sonido and grabbed his sword, and then he stepped back and began to slide. "I don't enjoy combat. I don't hate it, either, but I don't enjoy it." His _reiatsu_ began to rise. "I've been given a very important task that does not involve you." His sword glowed bright. "Shoot 'im dead; Dios Matando Lanza(God Killing Spear/Lance)!" Nobu disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Toshiro leaned to the right and caught a piece of metal headed for his face. He examined it and realized it was Nobu's silver mask. He tossed it aside and raised his sword. "Daiguren Hyourinmaru!" he yelled to the heavens. Rangiku once again released her sword. Toshiro stood waiting for his opponent.

The swirling torrent of _reiastu_ around Nobu dissipated. Nobu's shirt had torn off and he stood with his arm out to the right, which had become covered in white armor. It was narrow and perfectly round, like a spear, with a protrusion that extended from his elbow, and touched his shoulder.. His hand has three fingers which closed to create a perfect point. The armor extended from his shoulder, across his neck, and covered his other shoulder. His right chest was covered and the chest plate gradually went up and to the right, leaving his left pectoral exposed. A large three was emblazoned across his chest. Despite the revelation of his rank, this was not what surprised the combatants. They stared at his uncovered face. It was narrow, with thin lips curled up in a slight smile, and silver eyes.

"Gin! Impossible!" Toshiro turned to Rangiku, "Run, Matsumoto, he's too stro…" He paused when he saw the tears welling up in her eyes.

Nobu popped his jaw. "I really hated that mask. Why on earth did Reina-_sama_ force me to wear it?" He looked forward. "Oh, how you doing, Rangiku-_chan_?" He put emphasis on the last syllable.

Rangiku reformed her _zanpakuto_ without a thought. She shoved away Hitsugaya's hand and stood up. "Why are you here, who the hell are you? Gin died ten years ago, no matter how much I want to believe you are him, I know it's not true!" Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Who are you?"

Nobu placed his arm across his chest and rubbed his fingers together. "I am Nobu Ichimaru. I'm not pretending to be him, I just happen to look like him apparently." Nobu pointed at Rangiku. "I have been given a much more important task than fighting you. Now die!" In an instant, Rangiku's blood spilt from a hole in her stomach. It had happened so quickly that she hadn't even felt it. Nobu's arm still resided in her stomach.

"Wha-what, how?"

"Matsumotooooooo! Toshiro slashed at Nobu's arm, and hit nothing. He looked at his opponent, and saw him lick the fresh blood off his hand.

"Don't even bother. Assuming you could hit my arm, it's the strongest part of my body, and you can't cut it."

The words traveled past him, as Toshiro examined the wound in Rangiku's stomach. Matsumoto was breathing heavily. "Matsumoto, retreat now. You don't stand a chance against him."

"No tai-."

"That's an order, Matsumoto!" Toshiro stared into the eyes of his ally.

Wordlessly, Rangiku turned and retreated to a nearby rooftop. It the most she could manage with such a wound.

Hitsugaya turned to face his opponent. "How did you do that? I didn't even see you move."

"You saw my arm didn't you? My arm functions the exact same way as the _bankai_ of Shinso, Kamishini no Yari. Although I don't possess poison, mine is faster than it." He clapped his hands. "You hear that? My 'spear arm' is 500 times faster than that."

Hitsugaya widened his eyes in surprise. Immediately he folded the wings over himself as Nobu pointed at him. No sooner did his wings close was he pushed back by the incredible force behind the strike.

Nobu retracted his arm as Toshiro revealed himself. With a burst of Sonido, Nobu appeared behind his opponent with his arm down. He opened up his hand and his three fingers extended out, allowing Ichimaru to create three deep gashes along Hitsugaya's back.

Hitsugaya turned around "Hyōryū Senbi!" he swung his sword with ice overflowing from the point and swung at Nobu.

Nobu caught the ice flow in his right hand.

Toshiro wasted no time as his opponent blocked. "Zekku!" The ice burst forward, encasing Nobu.

No sooner was Nobu trapped, than he shattered the ice around him. "Nice try, Shiro-_chan_."

Toshiro had been prepared, and stabbed Nobu as soon as he escaped. With the blade still impaled in his opponent's chest, he roared, "Ryusenka!"

Nobu grabbed the sword with his right hand and put his left on Toshiro's face, but it was too late. Toshiro's blade was forced from his grip, as Hitsugaya was sent back by the force of the ice burst. Nobu shattered the ice by extending his arm at full speed. "That's it!" Nobu gripped his hands together and pointed his elbow at Toshiro. "Paso De Baile." Nobu's elbow shot out and straight at Toshiro.

Only luck prevented a killing blow as Hitsugaya was pierced in the left shoulder. He grunted in pain, but he ignored the wound and jumped away. He turned around as he heard the telltale sound of a Sonido, but it was too late.

"This is gonna hurt." Ichimaru had his arm around Toshiro's left. He jerked his arm away, and separated Toshiro's arm at the shoulder.

Blood gushed from his shoulder. Toshiro was unable to contain his roars of pain. He turned around and stabbed, but his blade was easily caught.

"Such a lovely sound." Nobu commented. Sadistically, Nobu raised the ice-covered severed limb, and struck Hitsugaya to the ground with it. Immediately after he did so, he screamed in pain as a large cut was drawn across his back. He turned around and gripped his assailant's throat. "Oh, it's you Rangiku-_chan_."

Matsumoto gasped for air. "You don't have the right to call me that." She defiantly spat blood on his face as she tried to escape his unbreakable grip.

"Don't worry…" He put his face close enough to hers that they could feel each other's breath. "…that's the last time anyone will call you that." Using Toshiro's severed arm, he once again pierced her stomach. He smiled as he enjoyed her screams. He removed the arm and slashed her shoulder, leaving a large gash on her neck. "Sayonara." He threw her down to the ground near her captain. "Finally I can get to my mission." He shaded his eyes and looked around. "Where is that orange-haired bitch?" Nobu opened his eyes at a sharp whistling behind him. He turned around and caught a dark, solid arrow. He closely examined it. "What the hell? Who uses a bow anymore?" He looked up and saw its owner.

Clad in white, with the wind flapping at his robe, stood Uryu Ishida. He was wielding a black bow with intricate markings, and spider like webbing. "Uryu Ishida at your service."

Nobu had no time to respond. A blade crashed down on his shoulder and sent in the streets with a gaping wound.

Hitsugaya dove and nailed his opponent to the ground. He breathed heavily as Nobu struggled for breath.

Nobu grimaced. "You're one tough bastard." He wiped some blood from his mouth.

"I could say the same for you."

"Most people would be in too much pain to even move after having their arm torn out."

"Hello, I'm still here." Uryu landed on the street. "You ruined my perfect entrance."

Toshiro popped a vein and punched Uryu in the head. "You could have arrived BEFORE he tore off my arm."

"I have just received my orders to deploy." He defensively put his hands up. "Unohana had a separate squad that would deploy to help those already tired, so that we'd have plenty of energy to face tired opponents."

"I'm also still nailed to the ground if anyone cares." Nobu called out.

"SHUT IT!" They both called out.

Uryu regained his composure. "You need to fall back; you can't keep fighting like that." He motioned to Toshiro's shoulder.

"I already lowered the temperature around my arm to stop the bleeding. I risk frostbite, but it's better than bleeding out. I can still fight; if there's anyone that needs healing, it's Matsumoto."

"Orihime is already on it." He adjusted his glasses.

"Who'd you just say?" Nobu called out from his position on the ground.

"He is stuck to the ground. Why haven't we killed him already?" Uryu questioned.

"That is easily rectified." Toshiro walked toward Nobu.

Ichimaru grabbed the sword, removed it from his stomach, and sprung up. "Just for the record, I could have done that earlier." He tossed the sword to Toshiro. "You four-eyed idiot. You've brought my target right to me."

Uryu raised an eyebrow. "Would you please elaborate?" He summoned his bow.

"I have the honor of taking that bitch with me. We need her abilities."

Uryu drew an arrow. "Kidnapping her didn't work ten years ago, why would it work now?"

"The only one who could defeat Aizen-_sama_ was Kurosaki, but he's dead now."

Toshiro widened his eyes. "What does Aizen have the do with this?"

Nobu smacked his mouth, "Damn it! Well you'll probably figure it out anyway." He leaned forward. "Aizen-_sama's_ plan was flawless, save for two things; Ichigo Kurosaki, and Soul Society. What we plan to do is essentially a streamlined version of his plan. Except we will kill Soul Society, then use our plan. We are going to kill you all, then use Inoue to revert Aizen-_sama_ back to his glory. But we've got an ace up our sleeves. Ichigo is not on your side." He stuck one of his clawed fingers. It glowed, and extended a few feet, creating a perfect sword. "You are in my way." He swung his 'sword' in a forward arc, forcing his opponents to jump out of the way.

Uryu charged up his. "Aizen was the worst crisis to ever grace all worlds!" Uryu charged up his bow, and fired 1,200 arrows; each one was solid black, rather than blue _reiatsu_.

"When he saw the state of the battlefield ten years ago, he killed the last remaining Espada; Tia Harribel, third espada." He launched an ice dragon.

"I will gladly be a pawn if it means crushing all _shinigami_. All we've ever done is follow our instincts, and you deem us monsters. Did it ever occur to you that we don't have a choice! If we don't eat souls, we die! It's simple survival of the fittest! We aren't monsters, at the most we're mindless animals! All _shinigami_ must die for this!" He swung his sword wildly and destroyed both attacks. "Aizen will make this world the way it should be! If I don't live to see the results because the pawn must save the king, then so be it. That is the mentality of all of us here." Nobu gripped his hands and pointed his elbows forward. "Fighting you is a waste of time; I have a job to do for Aizen-_sama_. Paso De Baile: La Hoja Serie." A huge burst of white filled both opponents views.

Toshiro covered up with his wings, and Uryu was left to fend for himself in the mass of blades.

Nobu sustained the attack for a full minute. When, he stopped the attack, Toshiro wings scattered, and Uryu's clothing was sliced all over, and many of the openings were red with blood.

"How the hell did you survive?"

Uryu tapped his shoes. "Ancient Quincy artifacts. Turns out Mayuri…" he cringed at the name, "…had a large amount of artifacts sealed away. These allow me to move at ridiculous speed, and these…" he tapped his temple, and some goggle folded out in front of his eyes. "…allow me to react. I even have ancient Quincy armor under my clothes."

Nobu cringed. "Well, I doubt he can do the same!" Before either man could react, Nobu extended his arm, and embedded his hand in Toshiro's chest cavity.

Uryu removed his Seele Schneider, from his waist and cut Nobu's arm. Nobu withdrew his arm and nursed his wound.

"Orihime! Get over here to Hitsugaya!"

Inoue quickly ran out from the rubble of the building Rangiku and Toshiro had landed in earlier. She set up a barrier and began to heal Toshiro. "Hang in there."

"Orihime, what about the other _shinigami_?

"She's fine, I healed her wounds already, but this is a bad wound, it won't be easy to heal."

"I'll cover you." Uryu jumped in front of the shield.

"What was that you cut me with?" Nobu inquired.

"Seele Schneider, the only bladed Quincy weapon." He notched it onto the bow. "It works wonders against hierro." He pulled it back and fired it. The arrow flew with such speed, and Nobu didn't even see it until after he felt it pierce his chest. He looked up, and four more of them pierced his chest. "Damn you!" He moved to aim at Uryu, but he was paralyzed. The arrows on his chest glowed brightly. "What the…"

"Sprenger, the strongest move in the Quincy arsenal. I increased my speed the point that I could launch it directly on someone's chest." Uryu pulled out a small bottle and put it on the tip of his bow before drawing another arrow. "I've gotten a lot stronger in the past month. You will be the first to die this way." He pulled back and fired the arrow. The bottle would shatter on contact.

Through sheer force of will, Nobu overcame his paralysis and caught the arrow before he was hit. "Too close."

"That's not going to save you." Uryu I disappeared and reappeared in front of Nobu.

Nobu jumped back, removed the five arrows, and threw them at Uryu. Each one was blocked. "Damn you!" He pointed his elbow at Uryu again and extended the blade hundreds of times.

"That won't work on me. I examined everyone's abilities before I joined the battle, when I was deployed to fight you; I took a 'Superhuman Drug.' It was diluted to a useful concentration, and to me, your movements are slow."

"It that so, eh? Well, my orders never specified what condition I should bring her back in." He sneered and turned toward Inoue. "Paso De Baile." Nobu launched his blade at Inoue, who was concentrating on healing Hitsugaya's chest wound.

"Orihime!" Uryu disappeared and reappeared in front of Inoue.

Orihime hadn't even realized what happened until she felt blood droplets on her face. Slowly she turned, and saw Uryu with a spear centered straight through his heart. "Uryuuuuuuuuu!" She shot up and caught her fiancé.

"I knew that would work." He licked the blood of his arm.

"Uryu, Uryu, Uryu, Uryu, Uryu! Wake up, wake up!" Tears streamed down her eyes as she patted Uryu's cheek.

"Just leave him." Nobu closed his hand around her neck and slammed her to a wall. "You're coming with me."

"No Uryu!" She kicked and clawed to no avail.

"Callate!" He slammed her skull against the building and threw her to the side. "I'll let the docs patch you up at Las Noches." He walked over to Uryu.

Slowly, but surely, Uryu gripped his gloved hand tightly, and reached for the spike on his wrist. Nobu stepped on his hand. "I don't know what you're trying to do, but I doubt it'd be a good thing for me." He twisted his foot and snapped Uryu's arm. He turned, and faced Toshiro. Amazingly, the shield had never left him, and the wound on his chest was still closing up. "Might as well end this."

He poised his arm, and right as he was about to stab Toshiro's neck, he was knocked down by an overwhelming force. It was a _reiatsu_ he didn't recognize, it was overpowering, Nobu struggled to breathe. There was something unique about the _reiatsu_. It was cleaner than most, and it was pure. Nobu turned around and was greeted with the sight of Inoue slowly standing up. Golden _reiatsu _poured out of her body.

"I won't be useless…" it sounded as if several voices spoke at once, "…I won't be a burden anymore…" The wound on Hitsugaya's chest snapped shut, and the shield moved to Uryu, "…, I won't let anyone get hurt…" She turned around, and her eyes were a glowing gold and golden tears streamin down her cheeks, "…It is my turn to protect."

**All right, I probably have some explaining to do. I originally had a back story written for Nobu, but I couldn't find a way to incorporate it into the story, and by the time I decided to trash the back story, it was too late to make another Espada. So here's the short version. He was Gin's older brother back when they were humans. Gin died at a young age. But he doesn't remember because it's his past life.**

**As to why I made Nobu in the first place, he was really an accident. He came about when I was toying around with the idea of turning the Arrancar into shinigami and the shinigami into Arrancar. It was a stupid idea, but Gin just ended up sticking around.**


	26. Batall De Los Elementos

**Sorry for the late chapter, I had this, and the following chapter, finished about two weeks ago, but my beta reader had some personal problems. Not that I'm blameing her, I had put it off for several weeks anyway.**

In the middle of one of the many parks in Karakura Town, ten combatants stared each other down. On one side, five figures with beige cloaks over their heads and shadows over their faces: on the other, stood several of the strongest known _Shinigami_, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Byakuya Kuchiki, Kisuke Urahara, Isshin Kurosaki, and Kensei Muguruma.

The hooded girl on the right spoke first. "Éste va a ser una lucha dura." She reached up and slicked his hair back under his hood.

Byakuya raised an eyebrow. "What did that girl just say?"

"She said, 'this is going to be a tough fight.'" Kisuke raised his hat slightly.

"You know Spanish?" Isshin questioned.

"I had a lot of free time in the human world." He grinned childishly and began to count off on his hand. "I also know German, Italian, French, Dutch, Greek, Swahili…"

"Yeah yeah, we get it, you're smart." Kensei cut in with a rather annoyed tone. "No need to show off."

"Well then don't ask next time." Kisuke shot back.

"This is not time to bicker." Byakuya interrupted.

"We weren't bickering." Kisuke defended.

"Hellooooo…" The middle Arrancar leaned forward and waved one hand. "…we're still here."

Yamamoto slammed his cane down. "There is no need to delay the inevitable violence, but before we do, would you tell us why you are doing this. Surely you see you can't defeat the entire _Shinigami_ force without Aizen."

The middle Arrancar pulled his hood back to reveal a young teenager. His short hair was a shiny white and lay flat on his head. His eyes were the same color, and his mask fragment covered his chin. "We have a warrior much stronger than Aizen on our side." He pulled out his sword. "My name is Viento. Be sure to remember it because you'll want to know who to curse from hell." Viento dashed forward and slashed at Byakuya, who effortlessly blocked the strike. Both of them went several yards away.

Yamamoto threw his cane into the air, allowing the façade to disappear and reveal his _zanpakuto_. "Reduce all creation to ash, Ryujin Jakka."

He caught the handle and unsheathed his sword in one smooth motion. Even with one arm, Yamamoto was a force to be reckoned with. The force of the release flapped at everyone's clothing. The hoods of the four remaining Arrancar were blown down, revealing Arrancar with similar appearance to the one who had forced Byakuya back. Yamamoto twirled the fire around his blade, and swung upward.

The ground beneath the Arrancar cracked, and the tips of flames licked at their heels. A devilish glow came from the cracks, and soon, the fire was pouring out. "Toki no Honoo." The flames responded to Yamamoto's command, and poured out of the cracks like a geyser. The flames shot forward, and engulfed everything for about a block in front of him.

Everyone heard a loud whistle from inside. "Wow, this is hot. If I hadn't been here, you would've just killed all of us." The flames began to swirl around the Arrancar, and soon, a small tornado formed. It began to decrease in size, like water flowing down a drain; the flames flowed into the palm of the red headed Arrancar. Like the one earlier, his eyes matched his hair. His hollow mask formed a paldron over his right shoulder, and extended to cover his cheek. "No wonder they call this the strongest _zanpakuto_ in Soul Society." The flames flowed into his hand, and up his sleeve. "I am Fuego, and your _zanpakuto_ means little to me." He pointed at Yamamoto and shot fire out of his sleeve.

Yamamoto countered with his own wall of fire. "Impressive, in all the years of my existence, there has been only one who was able to withstand the flames of Ryujin Jakka. But I regret to inform you that he did not last long." Yamamoto opened his eyes as he uttered that last sentence.

"I'm not Wonderweiss." He moved his cloak to the left, and drew his sword with his right hand. "Bring forth the flames of hell, Ardor Hacha."

His voice echoed as the blade became engulfed in flame. Starting at the handle, the flames disappeared, and soon, Fuego was wielding a dual-sided battle axe with red hot edges engulfed in fire.

The _Shinigami_ looked up as a shadow passed over them. One of the two girls was up in the air; she had brown hair and brown eyes. Her mask fragment covered her eyes, then curved inward to cover her nose, and extended to her mouth, like an extremely narrow skull. Her sword was raised high above her head.

"Reshape the land around you, Terraformación Martillo!"

Her sword became encrusted in dry earth, it peeled away, and a large war hammer stood where the sword once was. It was silver with a slight blue shine and on the end opposite the hammer, a small but vicious spike curved down. The moment the words left her mouth, she screamed at the top of her lungs and brought the hammer down into the group of _Shinigami_.

"Scatter!" Isshin commanded.

"I can see that!" Kensei replied.

Just as the hammer came down among everyone, Kisuke withdrew his _zanpakuto_ from its sheath and blocked the strike from the other girl. She had dark blue hair with purple streaks running through it, and blue eyes. Her hollow mask covered her left shoulder, and extended up her neck to cover her cheek.

"Yo soy Raya, te matare," she spoke.

"Me gustaría ver que suceda." Kisuke replied to her. "Awaken, Benihime."

Kensei removed his _zanpakuto_ from his pocket and blocked the strike from the boy with light blue hair and eyes; his mask fragment was a headband.

"Nice strike, but there's no need to drag this out, I can tell your strength is well below Espada."

Before his opponent even responded, Kensei dived under his opponent's blade and slipped his knife between the Arrancar's ribs. Kensei lifted up, and then slammed his opponent down, twisting the knife for good measure.

"Nice try." The Arrancar grabbed the blade in his chest, and shattered it into frozen pieces. "I am Hielo. That was very observant of you to notice my clone's lack of energy."

Kensei turned around and blocked a blow. "You don't get to the rank of Taicho by underestimating people." Kensei gathered blue energy in his blade and engulfed his opponent in a blue blast.

Isshin covered his face to protect his face from debris that had been kicked up. Quickly, he drew his sword and slashed forward to strike the girl, who blocked it with the hand of her axe.

She pushed Isshin off, and swung her hammer to the left.

Isshin braced his left shoulder, he was well aware that he couldn't block it with his sword, or avoid it in time. The hammer impacted, and sent Isshin flying into a nearby building.

Yamamoto was the only one that had not avoided the strike. He had no need to, and now he waited for the blast to clear. Just as he expected, Feugo was still waiting for him with his axe perched on his shoulder.

"Well, now all your friends are gone. What do you say we begin?" He lifted his axe and pointed it at Yamamoto.

Faster than most could perceive, Yamamoto loosened his haori and allowed it to hang from his waist. "I have but one rule youngster, do not, under any circumstance, underestimate me, especially because you can counter Ryujin Jakka. If we _Shinigami_ relied solely on our shikai abilities, we would've died out long ago."

Fuego rolled his eyes. "I know who you are, and I know what you can do, so spare me the lecture."

"So be it." Yamamoto allowed flames to flow freely from his blade.

"That's what I like to hear."

* * *

Byakuya pushed his opponent away from him and slashed back. But Viento back flipped in the air and avoided the strike. "Just what I'd expect from the famous head of the Kuchiki household." He stood up and ran his tongue along the edge of his blade.

"Hado 61, Rikujokoro." Byakuya calmly stated.

On his command, Viento was rendered immobile, with his tongue still on the blade no less. Byakuya walked up and placed the cold steel of Senbonzakura against his opponent's throat.

"Damn you." Was all Viento could manage.

"Small talk only leads to death. I've long since abandoned the habit of conversing with my enemy." Byakuya pressed the blade hard enough to draw blood. He removed his blade and placed it near his shoulder, ready to swing.

Just as Byakuya tightened the muscles that would move his blade forward, a fierce wind stung his cheeks and forced him to cover his eyes as leaves blew at his face.

"Sorry, even if you do end up winning, I won't go down without a fight." The wind swirled around Viento and tore off his Kido prison. He held his blade up and began to spin it at high speeds, forcing the winds into a torrent around him. "Blow everything into oblivion, Lanzador Torbellino." The glade glowed yellow, and in a flash, became a staff.

Byakuya placed his sword squarely in front of his face. "Scatter, Senbonzakura." The blade glowed pink and dispersed into a thousand miniscule blades. The blades swirled in a hypnotic pattern. Byakuya eyes shot wide open in surprise as the blades disappeared in a massive gust of wind. "What on earth?"

Viento spun his zanpakuto to over his head, and then started spinning it all around his body while gliding on his heels. "The great winds are at my command." He slowly began to increase the intensity of the winds around him.

Byakuya narrowed his eyes in concentration, and mentally battled the whirlwind that slowly formed around them, and blade by blade, he was able to overcome the now deafening winds. He held the hilt in front of his face, and forced the blades to reform. "It seems that you have succeeded in countering my release."

"Why do you think I attacked you? Because I am the bane of Senbonzakura!"

Byakuya grunted in a way that almost resembled a laugh. "You are sadly mistaken if you think I can be so easily rendered defenseless." Byakuya disappeared in a burst of Shunpo, and left a large gash across Viento's back before he realized what happened. "I am one of the foremost experts in both Kendo and Hoho, more importantly, all _Shinigami_ are trained to fight as if they didn't have a zanpakuto. It was a mistake to think you can kill anyone just by disabling their abilities."

Viento turned and swung his staff at Byakuya's head, but he easily blocked it with his right forearm, Viento then aimed a punch at Byakuya's face, and Byakuya once again blocked the strike by maneuvering the staff into the path of the strike. "Damn you!" Viento withdrew his staff and back flipped away.

"Foolish child, run now and I will spare your life, but if you choose to remain and fight, I will have no choice but to take your life." Byakuya place the tip of his sword at the mouth of his scabbard, ready to either sheath it, or strike.

"You arrogant bastard!" Viento slammed the end of his staff on the ground and placed his hand forward, as if reaching for Byakuya, he then gripped his hand tightly, as if holding on to a leash: Byakuya felt a slight pull in the pit of his stomach. "Let's see you fight without any breath." A leash of air suddenly became visible between his palm, and Byakuya's throat.

Byakuya's senses, which had been honed to a fine blade over the years, warned him of an attack, and without a moment's hesitation, he disappeared in a burst of Shunpo, and launched a stream of blood into the air.

* * *

Raya jumped to avoid the release of her opponent's shikai. She covered her eyes as a bright light surrounded Benihime. "Benihime seems particularly violent today. I wonder why that is."

"Cállate, hijo de puta!" Raya roared.

"Now that was uncalled for." Kisuke responded in mock pain.

Raya sneered and put her sword level with her waist, and placed one palm on it. "Saca el poder de los cielos, Voltaje!" She drew her hand along the flat of the blade and surrounded herself in a light blue cloud of _reiatsu_. Moments later, she reappeared holding a naginata. The blade was like a long, four-sided spike, with four small ones protruding from the cross guard.

"Esto debería ser divertido." Kisuke held onto his hat to stop it from blowing away. "Sing, Benihime." Kisuke swung his sword upward, launching a bright crimson energy blast at his opponent.

Raya met the strike head on and stabbed her weapon straight into the blast. Within a second of the tip making contact, a blinding light came down from the sky, completely countering the blast. "¿Cómo te gusta eso?"

Kisuke paused in thought. "Muy intersante." He poked one eye out from under his hat. "Tiene razón. Éste va a ser una lucha dura."

* * *

Kensei landed on the wall and prepared to jump back for another strike, his opponent did the same on the opposite wall. The blast had only injured his forehead, and now, he was striking with a vengeance. "Die Muguruma!" Hielo jumped forward with fire in his eyes.

"Sorry, not going to happen." Kensei dived past his opponent and delivered another gash along his ribs. "I'll admit, your one tough bastard, but you aren't a very good fighter."

Hielo sneered in anger. "Slow down the world around you, Endotérmica tridente!" He held his sword up and it instantly became a gleaming blue trident.

Kensei swung his knife by the ring. He gripped the hilt, and slashed forward, sending a gust of severing winds.

"Hmph." Hielo sneered. He rotated the trident in a circle, allowing the tip to graze the ground, and the moment his blade left the ground, a wall of ice appeared. "Now we're on equal levels."

"Far from it." Kensei slid his hand over his face. Hielo was forced back as an overwhelming burst of _reiatsu_ erupted from Kensei. "This fight is over." His echoing voice struck fear into Hielo's heart. Kensei Shunpoed behind Hielo, and imbedded his fist in his back.

* * *

Isshin moved a slab of concrete to the side as he wiped a streak of blood of his forehead. "Damn that hurt." Isshin moved his shoulder around to make sure it worked. He removed his zanpakuto from the ground where it had landed and climbed out of the rubble. The tell tale sound of Sonido tipped of Isshin, and before his opponent even appeared, he was gone using Shunpo. The building Isshin had crashed into was leveled. He reappeared three building down the street.

A young girl appeared at the foot of where the building once stood."You're fast, Kurosaki. I'm Tierra."

"I'd say 'nice to meet you,' but then I'd be lying." Isshin wiped a stream of blood from his mouth.

"That is true for me also." She turned and swung her hammer down. This time, her hammer did not shatter the road, it simply stopped the second it touched it.

Isshin felt a subtle rumbling under his feet. He realized to late what was happening, and as he jumped away, a large earthen hand burst forth from beneath his feet. Isshin destroyed it with a quick slash from his zanpakuto. But then spikes appeared from the stump of the hand, and extended all the way to Isshin's landing spot. He looked up as a shadow appeared over him, and Tierra stood with her hammer already heading toward his skull. Isshin panicked as he realized his situation.

"Die." Tierra called out with a calm voice.

Just as he was about to be sandwiched, Isshin sneered smugly. In an instant, he was disappeared, and Tierra gained two new slashes along her back. Isshin reappeared above her and brought his sword down in the same manner she had swung her hammer.

Tierra was no match for the former captain, and she crashed into the street with enough force to shatter every bone in her body.

Isshin dodged to the side as spikes of earth shot out at his face.

"Nice strike…" Tierra rose from the smoking crater with no damage from the crash, although the sword strikes on her back and the deep gash on her right shoulder was still apparent. "…but I turned the area I landed in to a cushion of soft sand. I also began to form armor as soon as I touched it." He held her arm in front of her and allowed the top layer of skin to peel off. It quickly closed up as though it were her own skin.

Isshin looked at his wrist, despite his lack of a watch. "I know it'll be overkill…" He muttered more to himself than to Tierra, "…but the sooner I defeat you, the sooner I can help someone else."Isshin dived down to the street and kicked up dust upon landing. Tierra stood motionless as the debris literally avoided her.

As she expected, Isshin ran out of the dust with his sword poised to strike. She put her arm up the block the strike, but she wasn't prepared for what came next.

"Getsuga..." His blade connected with her rock skin, "…Tenshou!"

The only thing Tierra felt as she was consumed by the attack was everything above her elbow turning into a mess of muscle and bone.

* * *

Yamamoto and Feugo forced each other back once more. Neither one of them had been hit, but Fuego was noticeably out of breath. Of course, this was to be expected when one faces the strongest _Shinigami_ in history. "You're ability is well beyond that of your age."

Fuego blew at a loose strand of hair. "Arrancar age differently than _Shinigami_."

"Oh, how so?" Yamamoto questioned.

Fuego rolled his eyes in annoyance. "We age quickly at first, a necessity considering the environment we grow up in, then at then we age at the same rate, before leveling off at slightly slower than _Shinigami_." Fuego shot open his eyes as he checked his ally's _reiatsu_.

"So you've finally noticed." It was more of a statement than a question. "Truth be told, I could tell that none of them were anywhere close to the Espada level. I estimate a fifth seat could defeat them. You are the exception of course, seeing as you are fighting on equal ground with me."

"You figured it out huh? I guess you only look like a senile old man." Fuego tossed his axe in the air, and allowed it to embed itself in the ground behind him, then he casually leaned on the handle. "You absolutely correct, my 'siblings,' are indeed well below the level of Espada. That's because I am the main body and they are separate pieces of me." He gripped his Arrancar mask and it to the side enough to reveal a zero tattoo. "We are ALL the Cero Espada. But not even I'm that strong. At the most, I'm Fifth Espada material. But that is where we are unique." He stood back up and lifted his axe. His voice echoed five times over and the very sky above him darkened. "Reconstitute and reform, Guerrero De Los Elementos." Immediately, Fuego was engulfed in a tornado of fire, and four more could be seen that corresponded to their elements. "When we become one again, we are invincible." The tops of the tornadoes slithered to connect with Fuego's.

Yamamoto didn't bat an eye the entire time. "An impressive ability." His allies appeared behind him in bursts of Shunpo. The only notable injury anyone had received was Isshin's bruised shoulder.

"What happened?" Kensei demanded. "I was just about to finish that runt off!"

"Yelling at your allies won't solve anything, lest you intend to annoy our opponent to death," Byakuya calmly replied.

The tornadoes burst, and where they fused, stood a fifty foot tall monster. The right arms consisted of hellish flames, and the left was made of ice with a shoulder spike that extended above the head. The torso was covered in brown earth, and wings that seemed to be made purely of cackling electricity sprouted from their back. Where there would normally be hips and legs, there was only a whirling tornado, obviously a part of the whole being. The head was nothing but a blank slate. The hollow mask fragments fit together like pieces of a puzzle, leaving a white, uncaring head, the only sign that had been separate beings were the lines where the mask fragments meet, and even those were slowly closing up. "This is the power of the Cera Espada." It was as if all five voices spoke at once, although Fuego's voice was obviously the dominant one.

The being did not move a single muscle. Using only its mind, it forced the ground beneath the _Shinigami's_ feet to collapse in on itself. Fuego placed its right palm forward and flames burst forth, a blast of air traveled with it.

Kensei appeared in front of the group, and vainly tried to counter the attack with his own.

The flames didn't even slow down. The only reason they did not die then and there was because Yamamoto launched his own attack. "Such power."

Fuego did not take a moment to respond. With speed that should have been impossible for a being its size, he appeared behind the group of Shinigami and fired a cero from its face with such massive power, that they were all but helpless.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Isshin countered. The blast successfully blocked the attack. In fact, it continued on, and forced the cero back into Fuego's face. The combined force of the cero and Getsuga Tenshou knocked Fuego off his feet.

Kisuke dived down. His sword overflowed with _reiatsu_. "Shibari, Benihime." A blood red net flowed from his blade, and with a simple slash, Kisuke pinned Fuego down. Kisuke landed by the corner of the net. "Hiasobi, Benihime, Juzutsunagi." He placed his sword on the net, and small crimson orbs formed in a domino like affect on the way to Fuego, and when they finally connected, the blast completely engulfed the Cero.

Such a display of skill would have left anyone at awe. But it did little to stop the Espada. They all heard a sinister laugh. "Is that all you've got!" The explosion was blown away by a gust of wind, revealing the Espada to be unscathed. They only sign of damage was a large crack across his mask, traveling over where the eye would be, as a result of the cero. "This is going to be easier than I thought!"

**Sorry if the quality of this chapter isn't up to par, I find it difficult to coordinate any scene with several characters. Also, I just want to say that this: Fuego in this form IS strong enough to fight Genryusai, but no one short of Aizen could fight five captains, so they will put up a good fight.**


	27. Batalla De La Violenta

**A/N: Hello. First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who has stuck with my story this long. I realized a while ago that I made the horrible mistake of trying to put in so much action, I and regret it. If I had the time, I'd completely start over, but I don't, so I live and learn. I just want to let everyone know that I've already begun to outline the sequel, and it's shaping up to be MUCH better than this story, with a deeper plot, and a long adventure. I appreciate every review. Also, if I get 50 people to vote on my poll, I'll reveal a summary of the plot, and maybe even the title.**

**Warning: This one gets REALLY bloody.**

Unohana lowered your sword. "_More_ bloodshed you say?" She sighed deeply. "It's bloodthirsty people like you that make my job harder."

Reina sneered in anger. "Don't you dare compare me to those thick skulled barbarians! I am a woman of class. When I said bloodshed…" She placed her right thumb on the tip of her incisor tooth. "…this is what I meant."

In a quick fluid motion, Reina ran her thumb along her tooth, cutting it open. She swung her hand in a circle, allowing blood to trace a path in the air. She immediately did the same for her other hand. As she let her arms hang by her side, more blood flowed out of her hands than should have been possible. She then used her nail to claw marks just below her elbow, allowing more of the crimson liquid to flow freely.

"If you're going to finish yourself for me, then you might as well let me leave," Unohana half jested.

"Hah, this may look like self-mutilation, but it is actually the basis for my abilities. I refer to it as Magia De Sangre." Reina raised her arms forward with her palm held up, allowing blood to flow from her hands. "I will use this ability to kill you, Retsu Unohana."

Reina sprinted forward with her body low to the ground. She dragged her arms across the pavement, smearing the blood on the road. Reina then straightened her body to an upright position and aimed her left hand for Unohana's throat, keeping the other hand low to her side. Just as her hand left the asphalt, red energy cackled across the blood soaked pavement. The surface veiled with blood changed shape and moved toward Reina's palm as though it had a consciousness. Reina gripped the tendril that had shot out, and the remaining concrete formed itself into a small dagger with a serrated edge. She grabbed Unohana's blade with her right hand, and slashed at Unohana's left arm.

Unohana ignored the wound inflicted upon her. Instead she removed her blade from Reina's grip, severed her hand, and quickly followed up by severing the hand that gripped Reina's blade. Unohana did not relent, and she dug the tip of her blade into Reina's right hip, causing her opponent to gasp in intense pain. The blade continue upward, through the intestines, the stomach, forcing through the ribs, severing a lung, and finally forcing out of Reina's left collarbone. Blood spattered and completely covered the face of the ten story building near them. Retsu Unohana had completely sliced through Reina Santiago with one clean stroke. But she was no fool; she knew no enemy would fall so easily, and she knew this fight was far from over.

"Haha, did you think…" Her words were cut off as Unohana speared her blade into Reina's mouth and out the back of her throat.

"Of course I didn't think it would be that easy." Just as she expected, the lower half of the body had hardly fallen two inches before small tendrils of muscle shot out and reconnected with tendrils from Reina's torso. The wound that would end any other fight, was gone in the seconds it took for the blood to hit the floor. "Instant regeneration, I'll admit I wasn't expecting that, but then I cut you with so little effort…" She locked eyes with her opponent, who had healed her hands and gripped the blade still lodged in her mouth. "…no Espada would allow themselves to be cut so easily without a reason, you intended to surprise me by striking me down as I was stunned."

Reina finally succeeded in removing the blade from her mouth, the hole in the back of her throat sealed up just as the previous wound had. "Not exactly, but that doesn't mean you didn't fall for my real motive."

Red energy crackled from the blood splattered building. As though it were alive, the building altered its shape and shot out dozens of tendrils toward Retsu, each one covered in Reina's blood.

Unohana jumped away but she felt a tug at her feet. She looked down to see tendrils originating from the blood on the street. Unohana slashed at them and narrowly avoided being killed from the building spikes.

"What on earth is this?" she asked herself.

"My blood acts as a catalyst…" She let a handful of blood flow from her hand. "…for transmutations of objects." From the puddle of blood by her feet a large, decorative broadsword formed up to Reina's reach. It was a massive weapon that Reina had to use both hands to wield. "My blood is extremely thin, even small wounds bleed profusely, and it doesn't clot either. As a result, my body generates a near limitless supply of blood, so I don't have to worry about overusing my abilities. Also, my body won't regenerate simple flesh wounds, otherwise I wouldn't be able you use my abilities effectively." Reina set the blade of the sword down, and placed her palm forward, as though welcoming someone. "I can also use it directly." Streams of blood shot forth from her palm, straight toward Retsu.

Unohana quickly dodged but the streams seemed to solidify and follow her. "What a unique ability. The more someone strikes you, the more likely you will be able to finish them off with your powers." Unohana gave up on dodging the blood and instead eliminated it with a quick blast of Hado 31.

Reina disappeared in a burst of Shunpo and flanked Unohana with her sword raised high. Unohana turned around and blocked the attack that surely would have killed her. Oddly, Reina gripped Unohana's blade, and ran her hand along it. Retsu realized too late that her blade had become soaked in blood. She cursed under her breath.

Reina jumped away with her back toward an apartment complex. She raised her arms forward with her palm up and her fingers bent as if gripping something. "There is a reason I am the Primera, and _this_ is the reason."

She shut her finger tightly, and the blood on Unohana's sword cackled with energy. A blinding light emanated from the blade, and Unohana was forced to cover her eyes lest she go blind. A sickening crunching sound rang in her ears. She peeked over her sleeve and saw Minazuki bent, curved, twisted, and crushed to such a degree, that anyone who saw it now would be unable to determine it was once an elegant blade. Unohana's eyes filled with sorrow at the sight of her _zanpakuto_ in such a sorry state.

Reina said nothing as Unohana landed on the street and rested the blade on her thigh as she desperately attempted to repair it. Reina impaled her broadsword into the ground, where it deconstructed into a simple puddle of blood. Reina placed her right arm forward, and used her nails to cut her wrist open. She placed her mouth over the wound, and tilted her head back. She slowly pulled her wrist away, and as she did so, a spear of blood protruded from her mouth. The spear molded itself into the handle of a sword, which Reina gripped and slowly removed form her mouth. She spun it in her hand so that she was holding it reverse style, and placed the tip near her chest. "Turn the sky crimson, Angele De Sangre."

In one smooth motion, she drew the blade back and impaled her chest. Blood gushed out of the wound, and coated the sword, before swallowing it up into her body. The wound bled profusely, and her skin crawled as though large insects were beneath her skin. Her body began to produce more blood than it could hold, and soon her carmine life force issued out. Soon, Reina was coated from head to toe, turning her white dress the same color as her blood. Soon, the blood flowed away onto the ground, leaving behind not a single drop.

If Unohana were to describe the scene unfolding before her, it would be best likened to something from a slasher horror movie, and even that would be an understatement. She had seen every wound imaginable, from impalements to severed limbs to decapitations to bifurcations. But every person had their limit, and Unohana, who had always done her best to stop such blood flow, had reached hers. She knelt on her hands and knees on the ground as the contents of her stomach emptied and mixed with the ankle-high lake of blood that she hadn't noticed forming. She looked at her hands, and saw them covered in the red liquid that signified both life and death.

_Now, Retsu, you have seen worse than this and moved on, _she told herself, but she knew it was a lie. Even Kenpachi would hesitate before jumping into this fight.

Unohana regained her composure, grabbed her now blood soaked sword, and stood up. Her blood soaked pants clung to her, and her _tabi_ were soaked, but she had somewhat straightened out her zanpakuto enough to keep fighting, although it was still somewhat crooked from the damage sustained before.

"What beauty!" Reina shouted, but the words were garbled from the blood in her mouth. "This liquid, it is the life-force of every living being out there, and yet, people fear the sight of it! Blood is not something to be feared, it is something to be admired!" The blood from her back became solid, similar to her zanpakuto. The liquid solidified to a pair of angel-like wings, bigger than she. Although the blood had stopped pouring from her body, but the streets would forever be stained.

Unohana gripped her sword, and stood up. _When did it become so dark? _she wondered. She was afraid to look up, as if red rain would pout on her face.

For the first time, Reina opened her eyes. It was a sight that would scare the soul out of a human. She lacked eyeballs, and in their places were solid balls of blood that flowed down her cheeks like tear marks. The devil himself would make a deal with God for such deathly eyes. Reina raised her arms to the side, and the lake rose up like waves. Her words were trance-like. "Drown in a sea of life." The energy jumped alive.

Unohana abandoned all sense of pride and decided to retreat. She was no coward, and she definitely was no idiot; she knew she didn't stand a chance surrounded by so much blood. She would be lucky to survive a minute before tendrils dragged her down and drowned her.

"Where are you going, my child? Why do you run? You cannot escape that which binds all of us together!"

Unohana felt sparks on her cheek and looked down to see red lightning. When she had first severed Reina in half, blood had splattered all over her. As it would turn out, that strike was not a complete failure. Unohana winced in pain as an X shaped mark appeared on her cheek and several places on her body where the blood had landed.

"Don't run, my child. Join me in everlasting harmony, become one with my life force," Reina beckoned.

Unohana was beginning to wonder if Reina was in a different state of mind. She risked peeking over her shoulder and was greeted with the sight of Reina floating along with her sea of blood.

"Stop running, child!" Reina pointed forward and several blood spears shot forward. Unohana narrowly avoided them and jumped off them to reach a nearby roof. "Don't bother child, we can reach you no matter where you go!" Reina swung her hand forward, and the blood moved like an extension of her body, collapsing the building on which Unohana had landed. Unable to escape, Retsu barely avoided being crushed as she crashed down into the rubble.

She cushioned her landing with a burst of reiatsu and winced as she felt her ribs. _I_ _think she broke my ribs._ Unohana applied a small amount of reiatsu that would act as a cast until she could properly mend it. She stood up and faced her opponent. "It seems there truly is no point in fleeing," Unohana stated.

"Just as I have said." Reina rose out of the blood, her tips barely touching the surface. "Now join me, child, in the eternal sea of life."

In one moment, every drop of blood solidified into spears and shot out at Unohana. It was a strike of such immense power that not even Zaraki would survive. But Retsu was not Zaraki.

"Defend, Minazuki!" Had Reina been in her normal state of mind, she would have seen Minazuki disperse into green gas, before her view was completely obscured by red.

Reina bit her lip hard enough to draw blood - a minute amount compared to the gallons she had just used. But it was enough. A blinding red cero formed from her open mouth. After this strike, it would be overkill, but Reina only needed to consume a small amount of blood to gain one's essence. It was how she had risen to her rank. She usually maintained a graceful aura about her, but in combat, she was ruthless, and once she drained her opponents of their own blood, she gained their strength, which made her stronger with each battle. Now, she would gain Unohana's. She enjoyed the idea of having the essence of a strong female. Up to this point, she had only eaten 'brutish males,' though she never liked how they tasted.

Before she got lost in her own thoughts, she fully charged up the energy ball. "Gran Rey Cero!" The blast shot forward, gaining strength as it came into contact with more and more blood and struck Unohana head on. Amplified by the blood, the cero destroyed everything within a mile of where Reina had face, and everything for a mile more was singed black from the radiating energy. As she waited for the smoke to clear, Reina retracted all of her blood and condensed it into a katana, which she placed at her hip. "Now join me in eternal life, Unohana Retsu. Become another one of my children."

Reina's chest burst open, revealing her beating heart and lungs. Tentacles burst forth directly from her heart, and shot forward to bring Retsu in and join them for eternity. Reina screeched in pain as her tentacles shot back into her chest and closed up. She clutched her chest in pain, a sensation she had never felt before.

"What kind of Soutaicho would I be if I allowed myself to be killed? We'd all look like quite the idiots if we kicked out Soutaicho out just to have the new one killed." The dust cleared to reveal a giant green wall with a small bulge in the center. The bulge opened up to reveal a single eye, which darted everywhere to examine its new surroundings. Unohana stepped out behind it, and the wall turned to look at her, revealing its body. It was a large green lizard, about the size of the manta ray, with a large, flat head in the shape of a shield with a point at the bottom, and a depression at the top, giving the impression of an arrow.

If Reina had been in her normal state, she would have torn her own hair out in anger. But that did not stop the emotion from showing itself through her voice. "How are you alive, child? No one has ever survived being drowned by my sea of blood, and I even used a Gran Rey Cero on you! You should be dead!"

"Just as you claim no one has ever survived such a strike, I can make the claim that Minazuki…" she petted the large lizard, which earned her a bellow of joy, "…has never failed to block an attack."

Reina jumped to sky and dropped her katana onto the ground, which instantly uncondensed and became the lake of blood. "How! We studied Soul Society for TEN YEARS! Minazuki is only capable of transforming into a healing manta ray!"

"Heal, Minazuki." The lizard dispersed into a green gas and immediately reformed itself into the family beast. "It's true that this is the most known form of my zanpakuto." She raised three fingers. "But one thing very few people know is that Minazuki has three abilities." She lowered one finger. "Healing…" she lowered another finger, "…Defense…" Reina widened her eyes in panic as Unohana lowered her index finger, "…and Attack…Minazuki." The manta ray dispersed into the green cloud, and reformed as a long, green Chinese dragon with one eye. Unohana pointed forward, and the beast launched itself at Reina with a fierce roar that seemed more fitting coming from a demon than a zanpakuto.

Reina used several blood tendrils to immobilize the dragon. But the beast was smart. It dispersed and reformed itself outside of the tendrils grip.

Reina quickly folded her wings around her and blocked the strike. The beast shattered on impact, and seeped through the crevices of her defense. The head reformed inside, and chomped down on Reina's shoulder. With a quick tug to the right, the beast tore off everything from her shoulder, down to her sternum. Reina fell down from the sky into her own sea of blood. What a perfect irony it is to die in one's own life-force. In mere moments, it was over.

Unohana sighed deeply. "Heal, Minazuki."

Minazuki complied and returned to Unohana's side in its healing from. Without a word, it opened its mouth and allowed Unohana to step inside. She was more wounded than she looked, and she feared the broken rib may have pierced her lung, as she was having a difficult time breathing. She allowed her feet to hang out of its mouth.

"NOOOOOOOO!" I will not die that easily!" Reina shot into the sky covered from head to toe in blood. "NO! Join me child! Do as I command!" Reina tilted her head back, and sucked in deep. The blood on the streets flowed upward and into her mouth. He body swelled to ridiculous proportions as she consumed the blood. "In the years since my Arrancarifiction, I have never needed to use this attack! It is fitting that you are the first, and only, to face it."

Blood sprayed out from Reina's palms and wings. But this spray was not random. If one paid attention, they would see hundred of circles with many complicated runes, and symbols. The covered the street, the sidewalk, the building, everything.

Unohana was only saved by Minazuki flying to the edge of the splash zone. Once again, each circle crackled with energy. Reina spoke several words that Unohana couldn't make out; it could have been Spanish or Latin for all she knew. Each circle glowed momentarily, and the material it had landed on rose out of the circle. A head popped out, and soon, shoulders, quickly followed by arms. The pseudo-Reina's dragged themselves out. Each one was clearly made of different substances, ranging from concrete to grass.

Unohana placed her palm on Minazuki, and when she drew it away, she held her familiar nodachi, fully repaired.

Hundreds of clones pulled themselves out of the surface; they all had blood red eyes. They all reached down, and pulled down a weapon. Ranging from twin knives, to war hammers.

"I swear if it is the last thing I do, I will kill you Unohana Retsu!"

Unohana didn't reply. She merely readied her blade, changed her stance in preparation to charge, and muttered two words: "Attack, Minazuki."

**Well that was a fun one to write. I was really looking forward to this battle and with good reason. I'll admit, I did not come up with the way Reina released until I was already righting it. Good news, the next chapter, we all finally learn what happened to Ichigo. And we already know the puppet master is Reina Santiago. But who is HER leader. You really won't be expecting it.**

**Reina De Sangre: Queen Of Blood. Reina's blood acts as a catalyst for all of her abilities. It's impossible for her to run out of blood, and in her early years, she only used it to make various weapons, but her powers evolved with time. She regenerates just like the Homunculi of the Fullmetal Alchemist series, and the energy that accompanies her blood forms is that same red lightning. Also, the circles are just like transmutation circles. Just for the record, I did not copy fullmetal when making her, the red lightning and method she heals I used and the transmutation circles are the only thing I copied, I had already made the clone ability, but I decided it needed to be special, rather than another blood splatter. She is a character I made 100% from scratch.**

**Minazuki: I went with the premise of the three main aspects of war. Defense, attack, and of course, healing the wounded. Minazuki embodies these three forms, rather than just healing. (Obviously) I made the extra two powers up.**


	28. Las Noches

**I'm soooooooooo sorry for the long wait, but I actually had this chapter finished on May 14th. Unfortunately both I and my beta reader(she's a teacher) had end of the school year stuff to deal with, leaving little time for writing and editing. Anyway, here's the long awaited chapter.**

Shin laughed maniacally. "Kurosaki Ichigo, that serum I injected into you earlier…" He pulled out another syringe. "…is a serum I created just for you. It multiplies the strength of a hollow exponentially. But, it burns away the body. You, however, are a Shinigami. Your body won't burn, and most importantly, your inner hollow will be reborn."

Ichigo was too nauseous to reply.

Shin began to charge up a purple bala. "You will die today, Kurosaki." He launched it at Ichigo, knocking him back into the garganta and onto the roof of Las Noches. As Ichigo's vision lost focus, he saw the garganta close up. No longer able to stay awake, he slipped into uncounciousness

* * *

_Ichigo woke up in a daze. He was lying face down with his cheek pressed against the cold hard surface. Painfully, he rested his arm on the surface, and lifted his chest up. His vision was blurred and he tasted blood in his mouth. His cheek had been scraped raw against the roof. Every nerve in his body fired sporadically, every movement, every breath, every beat of his heart, caused Ichigo to cripple in pain. Despite all his inward screams that told him to stop, he flopped on his back, and surveyed his surrounding; he was lying at the center of the landmark of towers of the Las Noches roof._

_'Why am I here? How much time has passed? I must have been out for hours.'_

_With his mind still in a fog, Ichigo couldn't bring himself to ask anything else. He painfully placed his palm on his face and used every ounce of willpower to recall the day's events. 'Training…Rukia…"His eyes shot open, '…Chiyoko…Issanni…Shin…Grimmjow."_

_Ichigo's ears perked up as he heard as sound like that of falling water. From his position on the floor, he looked up behind him and saw mist pouring out from behind the towers. The mist bent the light, making it look like a kaleidoscopic rainbow. Ichigo shot up, an act that caused him to immediately collapse from the pain. Having no other choice, Ichigo vainly crawled from the oncoming mist. At the pace he was moving however, he was engulfed instantly. Inside the cloud, he could hear a singing, although he couldn't make out any words. His ears began to bleed, but his body was already so damaged that he didn't notice. Soon the mist became too dense to see, and Ichigo had difficulty breathing due to the high level of moisture in the air. Soon it became so thick, that it actually weighed him down and he was rendered immobile. _

_'No! I can't end it here, not from some stupid mist!'_

_The mist began to collect around him, flowing under his body and lifting him into the air. He floated back to the center of Las Noches where his world became black for a second time._

_This time, Ichigo woke up in a mere five minutes. From his position on the ground, he shot up onto both feet and drew out his zanpakuto in one smooth motion. Only after he was on his feet, did Ichigo realize that he was not in pain anymore._

_"What the hell?" He patted his chest, and prodded his cheek. His wounds were completely healed._

_Suddenly, a web of light appeared on the ground in a complicated pattern. Ichigo stood at the center of the circle, where several tendrils shot out and immobilized the orange-haired shinigami. Despite his strength, Ichigo was unable to break the strands._

_"Don't bother." A voice appeared from Ichigo's right. He looked over, he could tell that the Arrancar was kneeling down, and he saw that the light strands originated from her person, but they had concealed themselves in shadow._

_"Damnit!" Ichigo maneuvered his wrist and cut one of the strands. It hadn't even fallen an inch before it shot two more tendrils out from the stump, locking Ichigo's arm in an iron grip._

_From behind the towers, the current Espada emerged. Akane and Kazuki stood near the tower behind Ichigo, Fuego and his group shared the tower to Ichigo's right, Nobu and Genshiryoku stood to his left, Reina walked out accompanied by an unknown girl, and Issanni, Chiyoko, Shin, and Grimmjow, populated the last. Grimmjow sneered at Ichigo then looked away._

_"Why am I here? Either let me go or just kill me, I don' see why you need me. I have no grudge against any of you, and Aizen isn't here to order you around." Ichigo bargained._

_"I wouldn't be so sure about that," said the girl who accompanied Reina._

_She was wearing a black kimono with purple a purple sash and edges. She had waist length brown hair with a curl that hung over her forehead. Her piercing eyes matched her hair, and her long sleeves hid her hands. Her zanpakuto was carried parallel to her waist, with the purple hilt on the right side._

_"And who might you be?" Ichigo questioned._

_The girl ignored the question and countered with her own as she walked toward Ichigo. "Do you happen to remember that injection my lovely Fifth Espada gave you?"_

_Images flashed through his mind as he was reminded. "Yeah, why?"_

_"I gave him very specific order to formulate it so it activated at my command." She placed both hands on Ichigo's cheeks and tilted her head back. She placed her face close enough to Ichigo's that he could feel her breath on his skin._

_"And what would that command be?" Ichigo prodded._

_The girl's right eye suddenly expanded, accompanied by a noise like that of a camera powering on. "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."_

* * *

_Ichigo was forced into his inner world and landed with a loud thud. He rubbed his back as he got up. "Why am I here?" Ichigo asked himself._

Ichi-go, he-help me!" Ichigo responded to Tensa Zangetsu's voice behind him. Tensa Zangetsu was hunched over with his back toward Ichigo.

_"Help me!" Tensa Zangetsu turned with his hands cupped over his face. "Ichigo, I have lost." Tensa Zangetsu stood up. The viscous liquid had solidified over the right half of his face from his mouth. Branches extended off it, showing it was not a perfect transformation._

_"Long time no see - king!" A vicious laugh echoed throughout the towers._

_Tensa Zangetsu collapsed to his knees and began to vomit more of the white liquid. He leaned back, and a white being burst forth from his open mouth._

_"How've ya been?" Ichigo's worst enemy nonchalantly asked._

_"You! You were dead!" Ichigo ran forth and slashed at his most dreaded adversary._

_"Sorry, king, but I'm stronger than you now." Hollow Ichigo placed his hand over his face and quickly drew on his horned mask. With no visible effort, Hollow Ichigo caught Ichigo's blade and used his momentum to slam him into the building. "Now who's the king and who's the horse?"_

_Ichigo responded with a roar. "Amatsu Getsuga!"_

_Ichigo had used the focus form, and not even Hollow Ichigo was able to dodge. Or, more accurately, he didn't bother to. The blow struck his shoulder, and struggled for several seconds before the energy dispersed into nothing. "Was that supposed to hurt me? You really have fallen. It's a pity really. To think I lost to a weakling like you who couldn't even kill an Espada. That's why I deserve to be king. You showed mercy to Grimmjow, and now he's trying to kill you again." Hollow Ichigo placed his hand over his mask and dissipated it. "I don't even know why I bothered to use that."_

_Ichigo appeared from the dust and wiped some blood from his mouth. "I've beaten you before, I can do it again." Ichigo straightened up. "Now tell me, why are you here? The visored told me you were dead."_

_Hollow Ichigo released a sinister laugh. "I'd tell you if I knew. But right now, I'm just as shocked as you to see that I'm still alive. But unlike you, I got over it and realized something. For some reason I'm stronger and you're weaker…" He disappeared in a burst of Sonido and placed his palm on Ichigo's chest, "…do the math; horse." Using his free hand, Hollow Ichigo impaled Ichigo chest and pulled out a glowing ball of light. "At last, I am in charge!"_

_Ichigo's world faded to white. When he woke up, he would find himself chained to Tensa Zangetsu, the final proof that he had lost._

* * *

_Meanwhile the young girl jumped away as a torrent of reiatsu burst forth from Ichigo._

_"Magnificent," Reina gasped._

_"Yes, it is indeed." The girl covered her eyes with her sleeves. _

_As fast as the reiatsu appeared, it was gone, and there was nothing where Ichigo had stood._

_"There!" another voice declared. The newcomer held Ichigo slung over his shoulder like a sack of grain.)_

_Nobu opened his eyes in shock. "Grimmjow!"_

_"After him!" Reina commanded._

_The girl put her hand up. "That won't be necessary."_

_Reina kneeled down with her arm across her stomach. "Yes, Aizen-sama."_

* * *

Grimmjow attempted to talk himself out of what he was currently doing. "You don't owe this guy anything, in fact you want to kill him! So why are you doing this, dammit?"

_"Gri-Grimmjow?" Ichigo mumbled._

_"Just shut up and I'll get you out of here." Grimmjow readjusted Ichigo over his shoulder. "You only have a small window of time before the serum takes effect."_

_Ichigo slammed his fist into Grimmjow's backside, though in his current state, it didn't even leave a mark. "Just stop."_

_Grimmjow sighed heavily and slowed to a halt. He roughly placed Ichigo on the ground and kneeled in front of him. "Alright look, I'll give you the short version. They've injected you with some fancy liquid that amplifies the abilities of hollow and Arrancar. But it's so potent that the body will just burn away. Under Aizen's order, Shin Cientifico modified the drug to affect your inner hollow. The serum brought him back to life, and for the few hours that you've been unconscious, it has slowly been reforming. They plan to use the inner hollow as part of their attack force, thus stealing the shinigami's greatest fighter, and bringing him to our side." He looked over his shoulder to see if anyone had given chase._

_"Why are you helping me?" Ichigo began to cough up blood and liquefied hollow mask._

_Grimmjow caught Ichigo as he leaned forward. "I know I'm a violent bastard, but I know when I owe someone my life. It's some warrior's code I heard about." Realizing he began to sound weak, he quickly added. "But I still want to fight you once were out of this. We have maybe three hours before the serum fully takes effect. I had no way of stopping them in the human world, and I had to wait till she activated it, otherwise it would have acted as a toxin." Grimmjow turned around and drew his sword, ready to slash the adversary who had just appeared._

_The girl quickly blocked the strike with her own sword. "How dare you do that to your superior!" the girl exclaimed angrily._

_Grimmjow sneered. "You're just as annoying as your father."_

_Had Ichigo been fully aware of what he was talking about, he would have collapsed in shock._

_"How dare you talk about Father in that way!" she answered vehemently._

_"Damnit, I don't have time for this!" Grimmjow placed a solid kick onto the girl's stomach, immediately followed by an axe kick. He placed his sword by his waist. "Grind, Pantera!" Grimmjow was violent, but he was no fool. His opponent was stronger than she looked; knowing he had a limited window of time, he jumped up and slashed at the air. "Desgarron." In one instant, he launched all the energy blades at the spot where his opponent had landed._

_"Come on, Kurosaki, that won't hold her for long." He turned around to where he had left Ichigo, and found nothing._

_"That was weak…" an echoing voice called out. "...I can't believe that idiot had any difficulty fighting you."_

_Grimmjow once again turned. Ichigo was holding back all of the claws with one hand. His head was lowered, allowing the hair to cover his eyes. "Kurosaki what are you doing! She's trying to kill you!"_

_The young girl who was also called Aizen walked out from behind Ichigo completely unscathed. "I could have blocked that myself, you know." She placed a finger on her lip."By the way, my name's-"_

_"Save the introductions for later and let me do this." Without any visible effort, Ichigo redirected the blast to the right. He looked up and revealed his black hollow eyes. His eyes locked with Grimmjow's._

_Suddenly Grimmjow felt an immense pain in his chest. Ichigo had appeared behind Grimmjow and impaled him on his arm. He looked down and saw Ichigo's blood soaked hand extending from his chest. He looked forward, the figure he locked eyes with disappeared as an afterimage._

_"I told Kurosaki that he should have killed you..." Hollow Ichigo was now in full control, "... I kinda feel ashamed to have had such a weak shinigami as my host." Hichigo placed his mouth right next to Grimmjow's ear._

_"I-I was supposed to have more time." Grimmjow grunted out._

_"You think I didn't know about your little escape plan?" Aizen called out. "I knew about it from the moment I reformed the Espada. So I let that little tidbit of information slip out. The truth is that the effects are instant" She formed a sly smile that would have made Sousuke Aizen himself jealous._

_Grimmjow was too weak to be angered at how easily he had been tricked. He turned to the right and saw a long narrow horn. He craned his head to see behind him and saw that Ichigo's face had been completely hidden by a mask. He didn't recognize the new markings. With one last breath, he fell into unconsciousness._

_Ichigo flew down and removed his arm from Grimmjow's chest cavity. "Not that I'm ungrateful…" Hichigo turned to the girl. "…but why did you resurrect me?"_

_"I have certain uses for your talents." She sat on a slab of rock that had been kicked up and swung her legs._

_Hichigo let out a sinister laugh. "What reason do I have to follow your orders?"_

_Aizen narrowed her eyes in concentration. Ichigo felt an odd heat at the base of his skull. "The benefits of working with me are much greater than your dislike of everything."_

_The heat quickly became so painful that even though his hollow was in control, Hichigo collapsed to his knees and roared in pain. It had spread all over his body. As quickly as the pain came, it disappeared._

_Hichigo looked up and begrudgingly asked, "What are these 'benefits' you were talking about?"_

_'Aizen' allowed a smile of satisfaction to escape from her lips. "Glad you see things me way." She hopped off her perch and motioned for Ichigo to follow. "Oh, would you be a dear and bring him along?" She pointed to Grimmjow._

_Hichigo begrudgingly complied._

* * *

_"Welcome my Espada," Aizen declared from the head of the table that once again served as the meeting room for the Espada. "You should all be aware of my guest of honor…" She motioned to Ichigo, who had a seat at the front. His mask had covered his face, but for the sake of the meeting, he tore it off, "…and the failed rescue attempt." She motioned to Grimmjow._

_Chiyoko raised her hand. "Aizen-sama, I have a personal request."_

_Aizen sighed. "You don't have to be so scared of me; I've told all of you that. Go ahead and speak up."_

_Chiyoko coughed. "I was not being fearful, I was being respectful. As for my request, I'd like you to hand over Grimmjow to Shin. I'm hoping I can add his abilities to my repertoire."_

_Shin clapped. "How formal Chiyoko." He sarcastically commented._

_She stuck her tongue out in retaliation._

_"Of course you may have him, although Shin, I want you to wipe his memory in the process." She leaned forward and placed her head on her palm._

_"Of course, Aizen-sama." Shin placed his hand across his chest and leaned forward in a mini bow._

_"Now…" She turned to Ichigo, "…I'm sure you have a lot of questions. Ask as many as you need. But first, tell me your name."_

_"I've never had such a useless thing like a name." Hichigo leaned back and crossed his feet on the table. "Now who the hell are you?" Ichigo brashly asked. "The Aizen that had Kurosaki trembling was a man."_

_Aizen placed a finger on her chin. "Now that is a bit complicated." She leaned forward and crossed her fingers. "I am Aizen Mizuki, daughter of Aizen Sosuke."_

_Hichigo kept listening._

_"For all intents and purposes, I am his daughter, and go by that for the sake of convenience." She sighed. "In actuality, I am a genetic experiment." She looked to see if Ichigo would ask any questions; there were none. "He used his own DNA in the experiment, so I technically, I could also be called a clone. Would you like me to go on?"_

_"No, not really." Ichigo sat up and placed his arm on the table. "Now you want me to work for you, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out that you want me because of my strength. I just want to know two more things; what do you plan to do, and what's in it for me?"_

_"In order to answer the first, I must answer the second first." She coughed into her fist. "We will give you a body." She took a moment to let the offer sink in._

_"Why do I need a body? I have one right here." Hichigo questioned._

_"That's where the deal comes in. Every time you have emerged, it was because you were in control of Ichigo's body, like a puppet master, you controlled it remotely and through force, and in the end, Ichigo would always regain control because the physical form is predisposed to its original owner. Even with the serum, he will eventually force the control back. But we have a procedure that will flip the rolls around. His physical body will trade places with you. You will never have to worry about him gaining control, and you will be able to use ALL of your power. Simply put, you will have an inner shinigami who will never be able to touch you."_

_Hichigo sneered "I have to admit, I'm impressed." _

_"Now as to what we plan to do; the procedure that will give you a body will leave you in a dormant state for a month. We intend to perform the procedure, and then drop off Kurosaki's 'corpse' in Soul Society. We will seal off Hueco Mundo for that time during which Kurosaki's body will slowly transform into yours. We will engage the shinigami in combat; we have to time the assault so that you will awaken sometime during the battle. You will cause as much destruction as you can in Seiretei, then join us and kill the remaining shinigami. We will then kidnap Inoue Orihime from the battlefield and bring her to Aizen, where we will force her to reverse the effects on Aizen. After that, you will be free to go as long as you don't interfere with any of his further plans."_

_"A chance to have some real fun is all I need. I join you, crush a few shinigami skulls, and then I'm free to go, correct?" Ichigo asked. _

_Mizuki nodded. _

_"I'm in. Now about that procedure?"_

_"It has already begun. I knew you would agree, so it was part of the injection." She looked at a non-existant watch on her wrist. "You have at most three hours before you enter a comatose state."_

_"Lovely," he replied sarcastically._

_"Thus we have one more important thing to do." Mizuki motioned for Reina to come over. The Cero siblings followed._

_"Your strength is legendary among Arrancar…" Reina started. "…thus, we offer you the rank of the Cero Espada."_

_"I don't need a fucking number to show my strength!" Hichigo barked._

_Neither Mizuki nor Reina expected this. "Please reconsider; it is a very prestigious rank."_

_"I take the fourth Espada."Hichigo demanded. Everyone, save for Genshiryoku, raised an eyebrow._

_Genshiryoku leaned forward. "Why would you want that rank? You would be below Fuego, his siblings, Reina, Nobu and myself. You could kill these seven without any effort; even I wouldn't be able to defeat you."_

_Hichigo crossed his fingers in front of his face and released a burst of reiatsu so massive that even the higher Espada had to catch their breath and the girl who had restrained him in the circle was obliterated in her corner of the room. _

_"You're right, but I like four, it reminds me of that Cifer guy." Hichigo turned to face Genshiryoku. "By the way, why did you not include yourself when you mentioned who I could kill?" There was a bit of malice in his eyes. It was insulting for him to be told that he COULDN'T kill someone._

_Mizuki stared at what remained of the girl who had stood in the corner. "Was that really necessary?"_

_Hichigo responded without turning. "Nope, I was just stretching."_

_Mizuki clapped her hands, "Well, it seems this meeting is over." She grinned, "Shin, go ahead and take Grimmjow to your lab." He turned to Gen and Ichigo. "I can see there's some tension between you, so go ahead and fight outside, as for everyone else, you're free to spend the days as you usually do."_

_"You aren't afraid I'm going to kill him?" Hichigo questioned._

_"Not at all."_

_Genshiryoku had already begun to walk out. Hichigo got up to leave, "You might want to start searching for another Espada." Ichigo said as he left the room._

* * *

_Mizuki was reading a human magazine when Genshiryoku walked in wearing a new suit of armor; his old one had been obliterated. Ichigo followed with a few cracks in his mask._

_"How'd it go?" Mizuki asked without looking up from her magazine._

_"It went well. He shattered my armor so well that I couldn't find one piece of it."_

_Hichigo grunted. "I'll fight you again right now!" he yelled._

_"Now now, that'd be bad, considering you have about half an hour left before you collapse." Mizuki remained focused on her magazine._

_Hichigo let out an annoyed breath of air. "Once I have my own body, we're having a rematch…" He shoved Gen, to no effect. "…light bulb."_

_Genshiryoku gave an exasperated sigh. "Gladly." He jabbed his pointed finger into Hichigo's chest as he walked off._

_Mizuki finally put her magazine down and looked at Ichigo. "So if you don't have a name, what are we supposed to call you? I honestly don't want to keep saying 'Ichigo's inner hollow,' it's annoying and will soon be inaccurate, not to mention hollow is just so demeaning."_

_"Just call me Fourth." Hichigo responded._

_"Good enough." Mizuki picked up her magazine. "Call everyone over; it's almost time to drop you off."_

* * *

Isane was exhausted. Part of preparing for a battle was making sure the infirmary would be adequately staffed. It had taken several hours to do so, but she finally had some free time to prepare for their return. She walked down the hall with a towel soaked in a bowl of water.

"Room fifteen, room fifteen, room-Ah, here we go." She slid the door open and walked in. Ichigo's body was still in the morgue where it had been all month. Isane was silently thankful that spiritual bodies did not decay like a human's. No one had been able to enter the room when Rukia was mourning, and after she had finally left the room, she was too busy to come and clean the body. She placed the bowl of water down and squeezed the excess water out of the towel. She soaked Ichigo's hair to wash the dried blood that had matted it to his head. Then she proceeded to was his face and close up any wounds. She was told by Unohana herself to prepare him a hero's burial if they returned. She had felt a knot in her stomach form when Unohana had used the word _if_.

She had finished cleaning Ichigo's face and neck. Using her reiatsu, she formed a tiny blade no longer than a needle from her hand and cut down his robes to the waist. She pulled the robes apart to clean his chest. She covered her mouth and gasped when she saw a tattoo on his chest. It had not been there when he had first been dropped off, nor was his chest deathly white.

Ichigo's eyes shot open, causing Isane to jump, except they weren't Ichigo's eyes. They were the blacker than the darkest night. Ichigo shot up so quickly that Isane did not even realize it till she felt his arm go through her stomach.

He used his other hand to reach up and pull Isane's hair tie off. "Hierro, really handy isn't it? A shinigami could never do this." Ichigo pulled his arm out. He held several pieces of bone in his palm. As Isane collapsed, he examined them. "Lower vertebrae, wonderful." He tossed them by the lump that was Isane. "When you love violence as much as I do, you learn to appreciate how you kill people." He walked off. "Just lie still and maybe you'll live a few minutes longer."

"Kotetsu Fukutaicho, are you okay!" a voice called out.

"More victims…" Ichigo's hair had grown down to his waist, and his hair was becoming white at the roots; the pale skin crawled up his chest, covering his throat and beginning to lick at his chin.

Hanatarou ran around the quarter at full speed, which albeit, wasn't very fast. Ichigo extended claws from his fingers and dashed forward with his hand positioned over the heart.

Luck was on Hanatarou's side today. Mere feet away from death, he managed to trip over air, causing him to drop the supplies he had been carrying. Ichigo's claw was so close that it cut Hanatarou's hair.

Hanatarou turned himself over into a sitting position. "I-Ichigo?"

Ichigo looked over his shoulder, allowing Hanatarou to catch a glimpse of his eyes. The sight scared him so much that he slid into unconsciousness, an act that saved his life.

"You aren't even worth killing." Ichigo turned and walked away. As Ichigo smashed in another man's skull, he began to wonder where that though came from. "Damnit, looks like that little bastard has still got some fight left in him." He looked back and considered going after the prey he had let go, but decided that he would have more fun with the masses that were on the other side of the door that lead out of the barracks.

He slid the doors open and was met with twenty different Kido blast leveled fifty an up. Naturally, to a being such as him, they did no damage. He pulled on his devil like mask and fired a cero large enough to destroy the barracks he had just exited; it went on for mile past its intended targets, so much so that continued into Rukongai. Hichigo flexed his arm. "I've gotten stronger."

Seeing the destruction that had happened, the remaining fighters appeared before Ichigo in burst of shunpo. Tetsuzaemon Iba, Nanao Ise, Kiyone Kotetsu, and several dozen Shinigami appeared with their blades drawn. It wasn't much of a fighting force, but they wouldn't go down easily.

"Who are you?" Nanao demanded

Hichigo pulled back his robe. "Ichigo Kurosaki…" Using the shadow of the doorway he summoned his sword. "…Fourth Espada." With those last words, he disappeared with a burst of Shunpo. His rampage would continue for several hours before he was called in to eliminate the remaining Shinigami.

**Wow this chapter was annoying to write. It easily had the most versions out of everything I've written, including a version Ichigo spoke with an illusion of Ulquiorra. I'm really glad with the way it came out though, and the final version is way better than the originals.**


End file.
